A new citizen holds a U.S. flag at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalization ceremony at the New York Public Library in Manhattan, New York, U.S., July 3, 2018. Photo by Reuters
Indian-born professionals have consistently dominated the H-1B program, securing the majority of approvals every year since 2010. Professionals from China ranked second, comprising 12% of approvals in 2023.
No other birthplace accounted for even 2% of H-1B workers approved in 2023.
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Graphics by Pew Research Center |
This trend is largely driven by the strong demand in the U.S. for skilled IT specialists, with nearly two-thirds of all approved H-1B visas in 2023 going to applicants in computer-related fields.
Despite the importance of skilled Indian workers to the U.S. economy, the U.S. expressed concerns over illegal immigration from India.
The two countries have identified around 18,000 Indian migrants who are in the U.S. illegally and could be sent back home, Bloomberg reported in January.
It added that the Indian government was prepared to work with the Trump administration to identify and take back all its citizens residing illegally in the U.S.
Indian officials say that the movement of skilled professionals to the U.S. is an important part of India-U.S. ties and benefits both countries.
“Our countries have a strong and growing economic and technological partnership and within this ambit, mobility of skilled professionals is an important component,” India’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, told a press conference in January, as reported by Reuters.
India-U.S. economic ties benefit a lot from the technical expertise provided by skilled professionals, with both sides leveraging their strengths and competitive value, he added.
The H-1B visa program, introduced in 1990, allows U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals for specialized roles requiring advanced expertise. Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification in a relevant field.
H-1B approvals are initially granted for three years, with an option to extend up to six years. However, if an employer sponsors a worker’s application for permanent residency, the visa duration may be extended beyond the six-year limit.
In 2023, approximately 400,000 H-1B applications were approved for highly skilled foreign professionals. Of these, 65% were renewals, while the rest were new approvals for first-time employment.
