In a dramatic shift reshaping the global tech job market, America’s biggest technology giants — Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google — have now emerged as the top four employers of new H-1B visa workers for FY 2025, overtaking Indian IT powerhouses like TCS, Infosys, Cognizant, HCL and LTIMindtree, who have sharply reduced their filings.
This is the first time in history that the four US tech titans have collectively dominated the H-1B approval list, signaling a major transformation in how companies hire foreign skilled talent.
Amazon Leads the Pack With Record Numbers
According to fresh data from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP):
Amazon received 4,644 new H-1B visa approvals for FY 2025 — the highest among all global employers and a substantial jump from 3,871 in 2024.
The company also topped continued employment with 14,532 visa renewals, showing a strong, ongoing dependence on foreign engineers and tech staff.
Following Amazon,
●Meta secured 1,555 approvals,
●Microsoft got 1,394, and
●Google received 1,050 approvals.
Apple also remained a heavy recruiter, grabbing the No. 6 position.
Analysts link this surge to the AI investment boom, with the big four expected to jointly push over $380 billion into advanced computing and AI infrastructure in 2025.
Indian IT Giants Pull Back — Sharpest Decline in a Decade
While US tech companies are aggressively hiring overseas talent, Indian IT firms are moving away from H-1B dependence:
●TCS: Down by 42%, receiving just 846 approvals
●Cognizant: Fell sharply from 2,873 to 743 approvals
●LTIMindtree & HCL America: Over 50% decline
●Capgemini: Down from 1,041 to 401 approvals
Overall, the top seven Indian-based companies saw a 70% drop compared to 2015.
Why the decline?
●Increased local hiring in the US
●Rising automation
●More offshore delivery centers
●Higher US regulatory scrutiny
Soaring legal & filing costs — up to $50,000 per employee over time
TCS CEO K. Krithivasan even stated publicly that the company “will not hire new H-1B employees this year.”
Consulting, Finance & Semiconductor Giants Step In
Even as Indian IT retreats, global consulting firms and investment banks are stepping up:
Goldman Sachs
JPMorgan Chase
Ernst & Young
Deloitte
ByteDance
Among chipmakers, Intel (635 approvals) and Nvidia (563) continue to aggressively hire foreign engineers, driven by the global semiconductor race.
What This Means for Indian Techies
The landscape is changing rapidly:
●US tech giants now offer more opportunities to Indian engineers
●Indian IT firms are shifting focus to onshore delivery, reducing US relocations
●H-1B dependency is declining, but high-end tech demand (AI, ML, semiconductor talent) is booming
The US job market is increasingly favoring professionals with AI, cloud, data engineering, cybersecurity, and semiconductor skills.
