Statistics from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) show that the number of H-1B visas issued has steadily increased, showing that U.S. companies are becoming increasingly dependent on skilled foreign workers. There is.
The primary purpose of the H-1B visa is to allow U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with specialized skills and expertise in occupations that require highly technical or specialized knowledge. It is to do.
The program has driven business growth, technological advances, and increased productivity by addressing the nation's talent shortages.
For decades, technology companies have relied heavily on highly skilled workers through this program.
During fiscal year 2024, USCIS received 780,884 H-1B registrations, a significant increase from 483,927 in fiscal year 2023.
H-1B visas face criticism
Despite its benefits, the H-1B program has faced criticism for potentially being misused to outsource jobs and exploit visa holders who are tied to employers as sponsors.
An uproar erupted in the United States after President Trump appointed Indian-born venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as his AI policy advisor.
President Trump's supporters have criticized the move, while industry leaders such as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have called for immediate reform of the H-1B visa program.
Mr. Musk recently sparked a debate online when he claimed that the United States has a shortage of talented engineers and proposed immigration as a solution.
“There is a severe shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in the United States,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X, comparing tech companies to professional sports teams scouting players.
“If you let the best talent in the world play on the other team, America will lose.” Musk added
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced new updates to the H-1B visa program effective January 17th. The new rules aim to streamline the hiring process and increase oversight of highly skilled foreign workers.
Employers must use an updated Form I-129 and will be required to do so starting on the effective date of this rule.
The majority of H-1B visa beneficiaries in 2024 were concentrated in the top companies that applied, primarily in the technology sector.
Rank H-1B visa recipients approved in 2024 1 Amazon 9,265 2 Infosys 8,140 3 Cognizant 6,321 4 Google 5,364 5 Tata Consultancy Services 5,274 6 Meta Platforms 4,844 7 Microsoft 4,725 8 Apple 3,873 9 HCL America Inc 2,953 10 IBM Corporation 2.906
Amazon topped the list of companies approved for H-1B visas with 9,265 over the past five years, primarily hiring engineers and technology professionals.
India-based IT outsourcing giants Infosys and Cognizant follow Amazon in using the H-1B visa program, with 8,140 and 6,321 visas, respectively.
Google secured the fourth position with 5,364 approvals while Tata Consultancy Services ranked fifth with 5,274 approvals.
These numbers reflect the strong demand for H-1B workers, particularly in technology and IT services.
Although reforms are needed to ensure fair wages and prevent abuse, the H-1B visa program has provided significant benefits to the U.S. economy, particularly to sectors that rely on talent.
This is both an opportunity and a responsibility, and optimizing its impact requires balanced policies.
