Indian information-technology majors are signalling a shift in strategy after the US administration announced a steep hike in H-1B visa fees to $100,000 on September 21. Sources familiar with discussions say these firms have told the Indian government they plan to cut down their reliance on the visa programme and move more work back to India while still serving their American clients.
According to an official aware of the talks, the companies want to reduce their exposure to what they see as unpredictable US immigration rules. “They do not want to be exposed to the vagaries, uncertainties, and changing policies in the US that could affect their long-term business planning,” the official explained. The timing of this rethink also fits with Narendra Modi’s wider call for India’s self-reliance across sectors.
While a huge chunk of H-1B visas goes to US giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Google, Walmart and JP Morgan—who together account for over 94% of the 95,109 visas issued to the top 10 companies—Indian IT firms are still significantly affected.
Government data as of June 30 places Tata Consultancy Services at second among all H-1B users with 5,505 visas, behind only Amazon. Infosys sits at 13th with 2,004 visas, and LTI Mindtree at 15th with 1,044. HCL America, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and L&T Technology Services also feature on the list. Collectively, the seven leading Indian firms in the top 100 hold 14,565 visas.
Officials suggest the problem could be even more acute for US-based giants, who hold far larger visa volumes. At the same time, startup AI companies, many of which had been eyeing a move to the US—the hub of AI innovation—may now hold back. With fees at this level, continuing to build teams in India could appear the more practical choice.
