NEW DELHI– The Indian IT and technology sector is investing more than $1 billion in local skilling and hiring initiatives in the United States, a move that has sharply reduced its reliance on H-1B visas, industry body Nasscom said Monday.
According to Nasscom, Indian and India-centric companies have steadily shifted toward employing more U.S. workers over the past decade. The number of H-1B visas issued to the top India-linked firms dropped from 14,792 in 2015 to 10,162 in 2024.
“H-1B workers for the top 10 Indian and India-centric companies are less than 1 percent of their entire employee base. Given this trajectory, we anticipate only a marginal impact for the sector,” the group said in a statement.
The announcement comes after the White House clarified last week that a newly introduced $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications will apply only to fresh petitions starting in 2026. Current visa holders will not be affected, and the measure will not retroactively apply to existing cases.
“Moreover, with the fee being applicable from 2026 onward, companies have time to further step up skilling programs in the U.S. and enhance local hiring,” Nasscom said.
The industry body emphasized that H-1B visas — a non-immigrant program that allows highly skilled foreign professionals to fill gaps in the U.S. workforce — represent only a fraction of overall employment in America. Salaries for H-1B workers are broadly on par with local hires, Nasscom noted.
“Nasscom has consistently advocated for predictable and stable skilled talent mobility frameworks, which are critical for sustaining national competitiveness and have long fueled U.S. innovation and economic growth,” the statement added.
Skilled worker mobility, the group said, will remain essential for driving forward-looking investments, accelerating research, and maintaining a competitive edge in the global innovation economy. (Source: IANS)
