New York/Washington: Which companies stand to take the biggest hit from the new USD 100,000 H-1B fee?
Fresh government data show Amazon leading the pack with 10,044 H-1B workers as of June 2025. Tata Consultancy Services (5,505) follows, along with Microsoft (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), Google (4,181), Deloitte (2,353), Infosys (2,004), Wipro (1,523), and Tech Mahindra Americas (951).
On paper, the largest users face the heaviest bills if the levy applies across incoming petitions.
In a sweeping move affecting Indian IT firms and global tech giants alike, the Trump administration has mandated that H-1B petitions be accompanied by a USD 100,000 payment. The stated rationale: curb “systemic abuse.” The immediate corporate challenge: deciding who pays, and which hires get cut.
USCIS has already met the FY2026 cap of 65,000 regular visas and 20,000 advanced-degree visas, meaning a large pipeline of candidates exists. The fee now becomes the filter for who actually makes it through.
Trump’s proclamation, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, takes effect September 21, 2025, for 12 months unless extended. Employers have days, not months, to weigh which roles are critical enough to justify the extra cost.
The White House argues the programme has been overused by STEM employers, pointing to a doubling of foreign STEM workers since 2000 and rising foreign shares in computing and math. It accuses IT firms of “manipulating” the system and replacing U.S. staff while expanding H-1B cohorts.
In practice, the impact varies by more than headcount. Four factors matter:
- Volume exposure – how many petitions trigger the fee.
- Dependency – how central H-1Bs are to delivery.
- Pricing power – who can pass costs to clients.
- Timing risk – how many new starts occur after September 21.
Amazon faces the largest notional bill, but its diversified revenue streams allow absorption or repricing. Expect selective visa use for priority hires, more near-shoring to Canada and Mexico, and remote deferrals.
TCS is more vulnerable, given its reliance on onsite consultants in U.S. BFSI, retail, and tech sectors. The levy cuts straight into delivery margins, often mid-contract. Likely responses: stricter controls on onsite roles, accelerated offshore/nearshore delivery, and repricing of new contracts.
Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google each rely on thousands of H-1Bs, but their deep cash reserves and premium margins provide cushion. They can fund essential AI, cloud, and silicon roles while relocating or slowing less urgent hires.
Deloitte has moderate exposure. It may push costs into project pricing, though public-sector contracts and competitive tenders could limit that flexibility.
Infosys, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra face challenges similar to TCS, though at smaller scale. With tight rate cards and procurement-driven pricing, passing on costs is harder, pushing them to reengineer onsite-offshore ratios.
The administration highlights cases of firms cutting U.S. jobs while maintaining H-1B approvals—fuel for political debate. Corporates, meanwhile, will respond pragmatically: near-shoring, using L-1 visas where possible, deferring starts, and hiring more U.S. citizens and green-card holders.
