Amazon Leads H-1B Approvals Through June 2025, TCS and Others Trail

(UNITED STATES) Amazon secured the most H-1B approvals in the first half of 2025, outpacing all other tech employers as demand for high-skilled visas remained strong across the sector. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data reported by the Times of India, Amazon recorded 10,044 H-1B approvals through June, followed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) with 5,505, Microsoft with 5,189, Meta with 5,123, and Apple with 4,202. The rankings highlight how a small group of large companies continue to drive a major share of H-1B sponsorships, even as policy debates intensify in Washington and hiring practices face closer review.

USCIS approvals reflect cases cleared during the period, not just initial lottery selections. In the first half of 2025, the mix of leading sponsors included both U.S. tech firms and Indian IT service providers. Beyond the top five, Google registered 4,181 approvals; Cognizant Technology Solutions 2,493; Walmart Associates 2,390; Deloitte Consulting 2,353; and Amazon Web Services 2,347, underscoring the breadth of demand across software, cloud, consulting, and retail technology operations.

Why these figures matter

These figures matter for several reasons:

• Workforce needs: Companies with large U.S. footprints continue to rely on the H-1B program to fill roles requiring advanced degrees or specialized knowledge.
• Skill gaps cited by employers: Firms point to tight domestic labor markets in areas such as AI, data engineering, cloud infrastructure, and chip design, where experience and niche skills can be hard to find.
• Political scrutiny: The concentration of H-1B approvals in a handful of firms is drawing congressional attention. Lawmakers are pressing for clearer justifications and stronger oversight, especially when H-1B hiring occurs alongside domestic layoffs.

Policy context and potential changes

Policy proposals under President Trump include key possible changes that could reshape the H-1B system:

• A $100,000 surcharge on new H-1B applications filed from abroad.
• Changes to the lottery, including ideas to tilt selection toward higher wage levels.

If adopted, these measures would significantly alter costs and selection dynamics—particularly affecting service-oriented firms and mid-level roles.

Important: These proposals, if enacted, would represent a sharp turn in cost structure and selection criteria for H-1B petitions.

Data snapshot: who’s securing visas—and how they use them

The early 2025 approvals show two parallel engines of demand:

• U.S.-based product companies (Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Google) building teams for AI-driven services, e-commerce logistics, device software, and advertising technology.
• Indian IT giants (led by TCS) anchoring large client-facing operations in the United States, supporting banks, manufacturers, and retail chains with cloud migrations, cybersecurity projects, and enterprise software rollouts.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, this split between product companies and IT services firms has long shaped visa flows and continues to frame policy discussions.

Nationality and beneficiary profile

• Indian nationals remain the primary beneficiaries of the H-1B program. In 2024, they accounted for about 71% of approved beneficiaries.
• China was a distant second in 2024.

The strong showing of TCS in 2025 approvals underscores India’s continued weight in the U.S. high-skill visa ecosystem, including vendor-driven staffing models that place engineers at client sites across industries.

Impact on workers and employers

For workers:
– H-1B approvals can open doors to career growth and potential green card sponsorship.
– However, backlogs in later stages (like permanent residency) can delay advancement and create uncertainty for families planning schooling, housing, or life milestones.

For employers:
– Timely approvals keep projects on track and help meet product timelines.
– But added costs, policy shifts, or reputational risks can alter recruiting strategies, push work offshore, or constrain hiring.

Policy pressure and industry impact

The proposed $100,000 surcharge and a shift toward a wage-based lottery have generated concern across legal teams and finance departments:

• Companies hiring larger numbers of junior or mid-level staff from abroad could face steep cost increases.
• Analysts warn added costs could push more work offshore where projects can be executed remotely.
• A wage-based selection model would likely concentrate approvals among the highest-paying roles at top firms, narrowing options for mid-level technical talent and service providers.

Political debate reflects supply and demand tensions:
– Employers argue H-1B workers fill gaps and drive innovation in critical fields.
– Critics highlight domestic job cuts and claim some firms rely too heavily on lower-cost visa holders while reducing U.S. headcount.
– Congress is pressing for transparency around assignment, pay, and integration of H-1B workers.

Risks beyond fees include:
– Reputational pressures that change recruiting and offshoring decisions.
– Rising compliance oversight requiring employers to ensure wages meet required levels and job duties match filings.

What the first-half 2025 rankings show

For now, the first-half 2025 rankings show continuity at the top:

• Top five: Amazon (10,044), TCS (5,505), Microsoft (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202).
• Next tier: Google (4,181), Cognizant (2,493), Walmart Associates (2,390), Deloitte Consulting (2,353), Amazon Web Services (2,347).

These figures indicate demand across multiple business models—consumer platforms, enterprise cloud, consulting services, and in-house corporate tech teams—and suggest that the largest employers are best positioned to manage compliance, absorb legal costs, and plan multi-year hiring even as rules shift.

Potential market effects and choices for firms

A move toward wage-based selection could:

• Privilege employers able to pay at the top of local wage bands (likely benefiting leading product firms).
• Narrow opportunities for service providers deploying larger cohorts at client sites.
• Force smaller firms into tough choices: either pay more to stay competitive in visa selection or offshore roles, lowering U.S. headcount growth.

At the worker level:
– Candidates abroad might hesitate to pursue U.S. roles if upfront filing costs rise or selection rules tighten.
– Candidates already in the U.S. on student visas could remain attractive if policy focuses on overseas filings.
– Long-term planning remains difficult while green card backlogs persist.

Guidance and next steps

USCIS provides the official framework for the H-1B program, including eligibility rules and cap processes. This guidance is useful for HR teams, candidates, and policy watchers. See the USCIS overview of the H-1B category here: USCIS H-1B Specialty Occupations.

What happens next will depend on:
1. How policy proposals move through the legislative and regulatory process.
2. How courts treat any final rules.
3. Employer responses in hiring strategy and compliance.

If the $100,000 surcharge is adopted or a wage-based selection system implemented, firms that rely on larger H-1B cohorts could reassess hiring models and costs. If neither change advances, hiring patterns may remain similar to early 2025—though continued oversight may still influence practices at the margins.

Key takeaways

The first half of 2025 confirms a familiar pattern: a small set of very large employers dominate H-1B sponsorships, while policy debates sharpen around cost, fairness, and economic impact.

• Numbers to note: Amazon 10,044; TCS 5,505; Microsoft 5,189; Meta 5,123; Apple 4,202; Google 4,181; Cognizant 2,493; Walmart Associates 2,390; Deloitte 2,353; AWS 2,347.
• Nationality: Indian nationals ~71% of approvals in 2024; China second.
• Action for employers: Monitor policy developments and develop contingency plans for mid-level roles if costs or selection rules change.
• Action for workers: Stay in close contact with immigration counsel and employers to track processing timelines and long-term options.

Whether debates lead to sweeping reform or incremental changes will shape the distribution of future H-1B approvals and where the jobs of tomorrow are built.