US Work Visa: 72.3% of H-1B visas issued by the US in FY 2023 secured by Indians

Indian skilled workers received 72.3% of all H-1B visas issued between October 2022 to September 2023. This information was shared by the Indian government with the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The H-1B program allows employers in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha said, “Mobility of skilled Indian professionals has contributed to the mutual benefit of India and the United States of America, especially in the technology and innovation sectors.

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, for the period October 2022 to September 2023, Indian nationals received 72.3% of all H-1B visas issued.

Government of India is closely engaged with the U.S. administration and other stakeholders on all issues about the H-1B visa program through relevant bilateral dialogue mechanisms.”

In another question raised on visa rejections of Indians going abroad – Whether it is a fact that visa rejections for Indians traveling to aspirational foreign destinations have increased significantly – Minister said, the details of visa issuance or visa rejection are only available with foreign Governments, as acceptance or rejection of visa is a sovereign matter of the foreign Government, and is not disclosed/available in public domain.

However, visa-related matters, particularly visa policies intended to improve ease of travel for Indian citizens are taken up by the Government through bilateral mechanisms, including during Consular Dialogues with foreign countries and during High-level visits.

USCIS had already received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2025.

The initial registration period for the fiscal year 2026 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 7 and run through noon Eastern on March 24, 2025.

H-1B final rule and H-2 final rule took effect on Friday, January 17, 2025, modernizing and improving requirements for the H-1B nonimmigrant and H-2 nonimmigrant visa programs. The H-1B final rule modernizes the H-1B program by streamlining the approval process, increasing its flexibility to better allow employers to retain talented workers, and improving the integrity and oversight of the program.

The new rule also extends certain flexibilities for students on an F-1 visa seeking to change their status to H-1B to avoid disruptions in lawful status and employment authorization for those F-1 students.