November Relaunch: Opening on 1st November
Xender Facebook logo Linkedin logo Instagram logo Youtube logo
  (+1) 413 400 3003
WhatsApp
WhatsApp Message
Perplexity ChatGPT Claude Gemini

H-1B Visa Filings See a Staggering 50% Drop Compared to Previous Year

Perplexity ChatGPT Claude Gemini
H-1B Visa Filings See a Staggering 50% Drop Compared to Previous Year

Immigration experts are highlighting a steep drop in H-1B visa filings in the current fiscal year. According to their analysis and projections, the visa filing rate may have plummeted as low as by a staggering 50%. Our EB-1A experts believe that the underlying reason for such a downhill trend would be the changes to take effect in the recent fiscal year including the weighted lottery system and other restrictions.

In this context, Rajiv Khanna, the managing director at Immigration.com, has told the Economic Times, the following:

“We are down about 50% filings compared to the previous year partly due to the $100,000 fee and partly due to the wage-based selections.”

The downhill graph of H-1B filings

While in every other year, the historical data bears witness to around 400,000 H-1B filings, this year is witnessing a strange drought. Attorney Shilpa Malik of VisaNation Law Group articulated this downhill in concrete numbers. She expects the filings to fall to between 250,000 and 300,000 this year.

The deficiency in filings could be explained in the following manner: the 100,000 dollars fee and a wage-weighted lottery system may not be conducive for entry-level job roles. You can read our detailed take of the status of H-1B visa in the fiscal year 2026.

However, USCIS has also clarified that the hiked fee won’t apply for F-1 students who are changing status to H-1B.

The overall situation of the H-1B employers

According to the immigration attorneys and our EB-1A experts, the impact would be most deeply felt by smaller IT companies all over the U.S. The latter companies historically relied upon high-volume entry-level hirings. However, this hiring model will take the biggest blow in the current H-1B circumstances. On the other hand, the big tech companies will be hiring with more deliberation, choosing only the mid to senior level specialized roles. Interestingly, these roles are more likely to find success in the H-1B lottery.

Nationwide, Indians have taken the hardest hit in FY 2027. Previously, Indian applicants accounted for around 71% of all approved H-1B visas in FY24. But, now, the entry level applicants are going to face insurmountable odds as most hiring giants like Tata and Infosys are also determined to hire locally.

At GCEB1, we regularly discuss, dissect and publish our thoughts on world immigration. Stay tuned to our blog section to get more insights and updates. If you are looking for a personalized strategy for merit-based pathways, you can directly reach out to us. We wish you a safe and stress-free immigration journey.

Sources & Further Readings

  1. The Times of India.“Immigration Expert Sees Sharp Drop in H-1B Visa Filings, Says ‘We Are Down About 50% Filings Compared to the Previous Year.” March 10, 2026.
  2. The Economic Times.“US Policy Changes Could Cut H-1B Visa Applications Sharply: Experts.” March 9, 2026.
  3. Jhansi.“H-1B Employers Back Out: Visa Filing Crash 50%?”M9 News, March 9, 2026.
Recent Post
Indian Students in Germany in Crisis? Visa Cancellations, Deportation Fears and What You Must Know
Indian Students in Germany in Crisis? Visa Cancellations, Deportation Fears and What You Must Know

Germany has been emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing destinations for Indian students, but recent events have precipitated sharp concerns about the Indian students studying in Germany. What was once seen as a stable route to international education and future career opportunities has suddenly become uncertain for several hundred Indian students.

Immigration Appeals Board Tells Judges to Deny Asylum to Nationals of “Safe” Democracies, Including All EU Citizens
Immigration Appeals Board Tells Judges to Deny Asylum to Nationals of “Safe” Democracies, Including All EU Citizens

On October 9, 2026, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the Justice Department’s top immigration appeals tribunal, issued a precedent decision that could change who gets a full hearing in U.S. immigration court. In Matter of B-S-A-N-, the Board told immigration judges to generally deny asylum applications from nationals of highly developed democracies. It also held that European Union citizens are “presumptively ineligible for a discretionary grant of asylum” (BIA, Matter of B-S-A-N-). Because the decision is a published precedent, it binds immigration judges nationwide. As always, here, our EB1A consultants have dived deep into this important news and all the nuances associated with the precedent.
Why The New Wage-Based H-1B Could Face Legal Backlash: Is It The New O-1?
Why The New Wage-Based H-1B Could Face Legal Backlash: Is It The New O-1?

The new H-1B visa rule remains one of the most important reforms amidst the crucial changes in the immigration policy under Donald Trump’s administration. Though the rule is going to be formally published and written down in the Federal Register today, much of it remains unclear and mysterious. Experts are already asking questions about whether the rule is going to supplant the old O-1 visa, and has even the potential to completely replace it.

USCIS to Implement Electronic Payments Universally for all Applications
USCIS to Implement Electronic Payments Universally for all Applications

In a newsroom announcement, the USCIS has stated that from 28th October, 2025 onwards, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will only accept electronic payments for paper-filed forms.
A Backlog That Grows on Its Own: Inside USCIS's Record 12.1 Million Pending Cases
A Backlog That Grows on Its Own: Inside USCIS's Record 12.1 Million Pending Cases

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is receiving dramatically fewer applications than it used to. However, its backlog is bigger than it has ever been. According to the American Immigration Council's latest analysis, published September 11, 2026, pending cases at USCIS reached 12.1 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 which is the highest figure recorded since the Council's dataset begins in FY2016. As the Council put it plainly, this is "a trend that reflects a series of policy and process changes by the Trump administration intended on restricting immigration into the United States."
USCIS Is Quietly Redefining ‘Extraordinary Ability’: Here is What Applicants Miss
USCIS Is Quietly Redefining ‘Extraordinary Ability’: Here is What Applicants Miss

The EB-1A “Extraordinary Ability” green card is the dream of many. But few applicants know that meeting the basic legal criteria is not enough to secure approval. In 2025–2026, however, a subtler and more strategic evolution is underway at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), one that goes beyond checkboxes and challenges conventional application approaches.
America's Immigration Machine Is Lagging Behind: And the New Numbers Prove It
America's Immigration Machine Is Lagging Behind: And the New Numbers Prove It

If you have filed anything with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the past year and felt like it vanished into a void, you are certainly not alone. According to new data compiled by the American Immigration Council, the agency responsible for processing everything from green cards to work permits is now completing fewer cases. Moreover, they are denying more of them, and making people wait dramatically longer for an answer, which, in some categories, is years longer.
U.S. Green Cards and Visa Holders to Face Photographing Vetting From December
U.S. Green Cards and Visa Holders to Face Photographing Vetting From December

The United States administration is about to implement photographic vetting of all non-citizens when they enter or exit the United States.
USCIS Releases Update to Facilitate Transparent Immigration for Survivors of Domestic Abuse
USCIS Releases Update to Facilitate Transparent Immigration for Survivors of Domestic Abuse

USCIS has recently released a policy update that aims to strengthen both protections for genuine survivors of domestic abuse and the integrity of U.S. immigration processes. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released this updated guidance for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) program.

Could Trump’s New Green Card Rule Pose Further Challenges to Legal Immigration?
Could Trump’s New Green Card Rule Pose Further Challenges to Legal Immigration?

We have already written about the new USCIS policy memo elsewhere, which stirred a great deal of debate. Under this new policy, released late last month, candidates on temporary visas who want to apply for a green card are asked to do so from elsewhere, i.e., from their home countries. Clearly, the challenge presented caused quite an uproar among many who are looking to change their status.