The Indian IT and tech industry is investing more than $1 billion in local upskilling and hiring within the United States, marking a significant increase in the number of local hires, according to the industry’s apex body, Nasscom.
Over the years, Indian and India-centric companies operating in the US have significantly reduced their reliance on H-1B visas, steadily boosting their local hiring efforts. “Moreover, with the fee being applicable from 2026 onward, companies have time to further enhance skilling programs in the US and increase local hiring,” Nasscom noted.
Data shows that the number of H-1B visas issued to leading Indian and India-centric companies has dropped from 14,792 in 2015 to 10,162 in 2024. Nasscom added, “H-1B workers for the top 10 Indian and India-centric companies constitute less than 1 percent of their entire employee base. Given this trajectory, we anticipate only a marginal impact for the sector.”
The H-1B visa is designed for high-skilled worker mobility and serves as a non-immigrant visa that helps bridge critical skill gaps in the US labor market. Salaries for H-1B workers are on par with local hires, and H-1B workers represent only a very small fraction of the overall US workforce.
“Nasscom has consistently advocated for predictable and stable skilled talent mobility frameworks, which are essential for sustaining national competitiveness and have long fueled US innovation and economic growth,” the industry body said. Skilled talent mobility, it emphasized, is central to enabling businesses to make forward-looking investment decisions, accelerate research, and strengthen nations’ positions in the global innovation economy.
On September 20, the White House issued clarifications regarding the recent proclamation introducing a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications. The clarification confirmed that this new fee will not affect current visa holders and will be applied as a one-time fee only to fresh petitions. This announcement has helped resolve immediate ambiguities surrounding eligibility and timelines, while also alleviating concerns about business continuity and uncertainty for H-1B holders currently outside the US.
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https://www.freepressjournal.in/tech/indian-tech-industry-to-enhance-local-skilling-hiring-in-us-nasscom