H-1B Visa Woes: Alarm Bells Ringing for Tech Giants' Foreign Workforce

Eva Popov -

Amidst the wave of stringent immigration rules ushered in by the Trump Administration, tech giants like Amazon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft are raised red flags, cautioning their non-US citizen employees regarding international travel. This advisory stems from fears of difficulties in re-entering the US, signaling a turmoil in the tech industry’s dependence on foreign talent.

Legal experts and leading US law firms are raising voices of caution as rejection rates for high-skilled visas skyrocket. According to a report from the Washington Post, firms are advising foreign employees with H-1B visas to reconsider leaving the United States, given the growing complexity and unpredictability surrounding re-entry processes.

A Personal Perspective: Workers’ Concerns

Foreign tech employees like those at Google and Apple are finding themselves at a crossroads. Many have reluctantly canceled personal travel plans amid fears of being stranded outside the US. The worry is palatable, as one worker candidly admits, “There’s always a shadow of being seen as an outsider,” while another emphasizes the constant need to carry legal documents.

The Divide in the Tech Industry

The immigration narrative is becoming a tug-of-war among tech luminaries. While ardent Trump supporters push for restricted immigration, industry leaders like Elon Musk argue for the necessity of skilled foreign workers to maintain competitiveness. In a bid to voice urgency, Musk, in December 2024, famously tweeted about the dire need for more engineering talent: “No, we need more like double that number yesterday!”

The Numbers Game: Visa Approvals and Constraints

Data highlights Amazon’s remarkable lead with the highest number of H-1B visa approvals in 2025, hitting a significant 9,265. However, the USCIS’s announcement on meeting the H-1B visa cap for the 2026 fiscal year underscores a grim limitation in visa availability, painting a challenging landscape for both employers and employees alike.

Stay attuned to these developments on Jagran English, as the industry navigates these unprecedented times amidst stringent immigration policies.