Where Does India Stand on H-1B Visas? The Numbers Behind the Dominance Explained

US President Donald Trump sent shockwaves across the tech world this year after he announced an unprecedented hike in the H-1B visa fee to a staggering $100,000, up to sixty times the cost. The White House

later attempted to calm the storm, clarifying that the new fee would apply only to fresh applicants and was a one-time charge. But the fallout was immediate and chaotic. Silicon Valley firms warned employees against traveling abroad, and overseas workers rushed to book flights back to the US. The H-1B program has long stood as a cornerstone of America's high-skilled immigration system. The visa, originally designed to plug workforce shortages, has now evolved into a powerful driver of cross-border exchange. For India, it has become a symbol of aspiration and upward mobility, powering a new generation of professionals who see the visa as their ticket to opportunity. For the United States, it has meant a steady influx of engineers, researchers, and physicians, skilled minds filling crucial gaps in laboratories, classrooms, hospitals, and start-ups.Todat Indian-origin executives run Google, Microsoft, and IBM, and Indian doctors make up nearly 6% of the US physician workforce.

How Indians lead H-1B visa allocations

According to data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the country-wise breakdown of H-1B visa allocations for 2024 shows how India overwhelmingly dominates the list.India accounts for more than 70% of all H-1B visas issued in 2024. The number of Indian nationals (283,397) is over six times higher than the next highest, China (46,680). Combined, India and China make up roughly 84% of all H-1B visa allocations. The remaining eight countries together received less than 10% of the total visas.This dominance underscores the continuing demand for Indian tech and engineering talent in the US job market, particularly in sectors like IT, software, and data services.

How Indians dominate across sectors

H-1B visas are heavily used by the tech industry, which believes there is a shortage of skilled American workers in STEM. A Freedom of Information Act request in 2015 showed over 80% of "computer" jobs went to Indian nationals. This hasn't shifted much, industry insiders say. "Computer-related" occupations accounted for about 65% of H-1B approvals in fiscal 2023.But tech is not the only sector where Indians dominate. In 2023, more than 8,200 H-1Bs were approved to work in general medicine and surgical hospitals. India is the largest single source of international medical graduates, who are typically in US on H-1B visas, and make up about 22% of all international doctors. With international doctors forming up to a quarter of US physicians, Indian H-1B holders likely account for around 5-6% of the total.

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Does Trump seem to be shifting his tone?

The White House has claimed that this overwhelming number of H-1B visas were being "abused" to undercut American wages and outsource IT jobs. It claimed companies were laying off thousands of US workers only to hire cheaper foreign labour from countries such as India through the scheme. Which is why reforms were needed. But in his latest comments, the US president appears to be softening his tough stance, suggesting the US should welcome more foreign workers. In a Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham on Tuesday, Trump said that the US is in dire need of skilled immigrant workers in key industries. "I agree, but you also have to bring this talent," he said when asked whether H‑1B visa reform remains a top priority. He added that while he supports raising wages for American workers, the US cannot rely solely on long-term unemployed Americans for highly technical roles in manufacturing or defence. Trump also denied when the interviewer said there was plenty of talent in the US and no need to flood industries with thousands of foreign workers."No, you don't. There are certain skills you don't have, and people have to learn them. You can't take people off the unemployment line and say, 'I'm going to put you into a factory where we're going to make missiles,'"Trump said.The fee will not apply to those seeking a "change of status" or "extension of stay", as per the latest guidelines.