By Ananya Bhattacharya
Mumbai, India — Amazon has consistently led in H-1B visa acquisitions between 2020 and 2024, reflecting the growing demand for skilled IT professionals within the U.S. tech sector. The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in specialized occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.
Data from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reveals that Amazon Com Services, along with its subsidiaries, has secured the highest number of these visas annually since the start of the decade. This includes both new visas and renewals.
“U.S. tech giants have become increasingly dependent on H-1B visas as they have grown exponentially over these past few years, and they’ve added many more verticals … so they need more IT people for that,” explained Poorvi Chothani, founder of Mumbai-based global immigration law firm LawQuest.
The program allows foreign workers to reside and work in the U.S. for up to six years, with the option to apply for a green card and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.
In 2024, Amazon Com Services alone obtained at least 9,265 H-1B visas. Its subsidiaries, including Amazon Web Services and Amazon Development Center, also secured a significant number within this category. This substantial need for skilled workers has been noted alongside the recent scrutiny of the visa program.
The stance of the Trump administration has been mixed, with some key figures advocating for stricter regulations and potential restrictions on the H-1B program. However, there are other entities advocating for the program’s benefits.
In late 2024, Trump had expressed his support, stating, “I’ve been a believer in H-1B. … It’s a great program.” This contrasted with previous statements from 2016, where he vowed to alter the program.
On January 17, the Department of Homeland Security introduced measures to tighten H-1B protocols, including increased fees and more stringent requirements for employers. The annual cap for new H-1B visas is set at 85,000, with over two-thirds allocated to tech workers. Indian tech workers typically obtain over 70% of these visas.
“The demand for these visas is still there and companies are just rolling with the changes. They are also filing additional paperwork and providing enhanced information in the H-1B petitions to mitigate the risk of denials,” said Chothani.
For a period of time, Indian IT firms had dominated the H-1B visa program, securing thousands of approvals. By 2024, the composition had shifted, with five U.S. tech giants — Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple — among the top 10 companies receiving H-1B visas.
Throughout the years, Democrats and Republicans have proposed changes to the program with a focus on protecting American workers from competition.
