The number of H-1B visa cap registrations for 2026 has significantly dropped. New data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shows that only 3.58 lakh people signed up this time, which is a big 26.9% drop from last year’s 4.78 lakh. The fall is even greater compared to 2024, with numbers going down by more than 54%.
Out of all the registrations this year, 120,141 were picked to move ahead. The H-1B visa program is important for Indian IT workers and a major way US tech companies hire talent. Every year, the program gives out 85,000 visas, including 20,000 spots for people with US master’s degrees.
Why did the drop occur?
Many reasons are being cited for this big drop, including new rules, higher H-1B costs, and changing career plans for foreign workers. A major reason is also that USCIS is cracking down on duplicate entries and system misuse.
“Based on evidence from the FY 2023 and FY 2024 H-1B cap seasons, we undertook extensive fraud investigations, denied and revoked petitions accordingly, and continue to make law enforcement referrals for criminal prosecution,” the USCIS said on its official website. “We are also reviewing the FY 2025 and FY 2026 data for any attempts to gain an unfair advantage through the beneficiary-centric selection process.”
USCIS also said it will take strong action when needed, including petition denials, cancellations, and criminal charges. “We believe that the decreased filing rate for FY 2024 H-1B cap petitions and the decreased registration numbers for FY 2025 and FY 2026 indicate that these investigations, and the beneficiary-centric selection process, have been effective integrity measures,” the statement read.
Besides policy changes, the cost of applying has become a big reason people are backing off. USCIS raised the registration fee from $10 (about ₹856) to $250 (about ₹21,000) this year. That made a big difference, especially for students and people just starting out. “It’s no longer a small gamble,” said a software developer from Nagpur now in Washington on OPT (Optional Practical Training). “When the fee was $10, people thought, why not try? But $250 is serious money, especially when you’re not guaranteed a shot. I’m still unsure if I’ll register next year—I’ve started saving up.”
At the same time, more people are now looking at other countries instead of the US. “Many of us are looking at Australia or Germany now,” said Aaftab B, a postgraduate from Hyderabad living in Chicago. “Their immigration systems are more straightforward, and you feel more welcomed there. I am also considering UAE. The US feels uncertain—long wait times for green cards, H-1B dependency, job instability. It’s just not worth the anxiety anymore.”
Experts say this change could have a big impact on how Indian students move abroad. India has always been one of the top countries sending students to the US. “The ‘American Dream’ of immediate employment at a high salary with full sponsorship of an H-1B visa will elude most foreign students. It’s not the late 90s and early 2000s anymore,” said Orn Bodvarsson, an economist and senior academic. “As word continues to travel back to India that post-graduation labour market outcomes are not as strong as before, Indian student emigration to the USA will weaken.”
