The US government said this year’s H-1B visa process saw a sharp drop in mass and low-wage registrations. It called this a sign that “abuse” of the system is now over. Authorities also said more highly skilled applicants with advanced degrees and higher salaries were selected this year.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said the H-1B season is now “wrapping up” and claimed that new policies introduced under US President Donald Trump are already showing results.
According to the agency, 71.5 per cent of selected applicants this year hold a US master’s degree or a higher qualification. Last year, that number stood at 57%. USCIS said the selected pool this year includes more people who studied at American universities and are being hired for high-paying jobs.
The agency also said the share of selected registrations in the lowest wage category has gone down sharply. USCIS claimed that only 17.7 per cent of selected registrations this year fell under the lowest wage level. It added that the H-1B programme is moving away from what it described as a “low-wage and low-skilled foreign labour pipeline” under the previous Joe Biden administration.
USCIS further said the number of properly submitted H-1B registrations dropped by 38.5 per cent from 343,981 in fiscal year 2026 to 211,600 in fiscal year 2027.
“This data is a clear sign that the days of abusing the program with mass, low-wage registrations are over, and that the program is better serving its intended purpose of attracting highly skilled foreign workers and protecting the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities of American workers,” the agency added.
This year’s H-1B season is wrapping up, and we’re seeing great results from @POTUS‘ new policies that prioritize America First!
Stay tuned for more updates, but here’s what we’re seeing so far:
✅More top talent: We’re approving more applicants with advanced degrees and higher…
— USCIS (@USCIS) May 21, 2026
The H-1B visa programme allows US companies to hire foreign professionals in sectors such as technology, engineering, finance and healthcare. Indian professionals form one of the biggest groups of H-1B visa holders, especially in the American tech industry.
Recent layoffs at major tech companies have created concerns for Indian H-1B workers in the US. Many foreign employees work on visas linked directly to their companies which means losing a job can also affect their right to stay in the country.
Under US immigration rules, H-1B visa holders usually get 60 days to find another employer willing to sponsor them. If they are unable to secure a new job in time, they may have to leave the US.
