US Tech Giants to Bear Brunt of Trump's H-1B Visa Fee Hike

Strategic Insights -

The move by US President Donald Trump to increase annual H-1B visa fees to $100,000 is set to hit major US technology companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google, hard. The H-1B visa programme has been a lifeline for these companies, which rely heavily on skilled Indian professionals. According to data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, these companies were among the top sponsors of H-1B visas in 2025, with Amazon leading the pack with 10,044 approvals.

Key Takeaways:

  • Amazon was the largest H-1B sponsor in 2025, with 10,044 approvals, followed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) with 5,505 approvals.
  • The new H-1B visa fee hike of $100,000 is expected to significantly impact US tech giants, which rely heavily on Indian professionals.
  • In 2023, 65% of H-1B workers approved held computer-related roles with a median salary of $123,600, while engineering jobs accounted for 9% of approvals with a median pay of $115,000.
  • Infosys, a top-five H-1B sponsor in 2018, has scaled down to 2,004 approvals in 2025, placing it 13th on the list.
  • Cognizant, ranking seventh with 2,493 visas, is reviewing the proclamation to assess its impact, citing its "resilient business model" and focus on local hiring.
  • The H-1B programme has been plagued by criticism of being misused to replace American workers with cheaper labour, but data shows that 65% of approved workers held high-paying computer-related jobs.

Statistics:

  • 10,044: Amazon's number of H-1B visa approvals in 2025.
  • $100,000: The new annual H-1B visa fee, up from $1,700.
  • 65%: The percentage of H-1B workers approved in 2023 who held computer-related jobs, with a median salary of $123,600.
  • 9%: The percentage of H-1B workers approved in 2023 who held engineering jobs, with a median pay of $115,000.
  • 2,493: Cognizant's number of H-1B visa approvals in 2025.
  • 2,004: Infosys's number of H-1B visa approvals in 2025, down from 11,000 in 2018.

Sources:

  • US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
  • Pew Research Center
  • The Telegraph
  • ABP Private Limited
  • Contify.com