62% of all H-1B approvals last year went to one industry: tech

Computer-related occupations continued to dominate H-1B approvals by a wide margin in fiscal 2025. Of the 4,06,348 total approvals, nearly 2,52,088, or 62%, were in computer-related roles, according to the latest USCIS annual report.

The concentration highlights why technology companies continue to be among the largest users of the H-1B programme, even as their overall share has shifted over time. It comes alongside a broader shift in the education profile of H-1B workers: 58% held a master’s degree or higher in fiscal 2025, up from 46% the year before, while just 4% held a doctorate.

Nearly 70% of all approvals went to workers born in India, with China a distant second at roughly 12%. The report also found that a significant share of approvals relate to continuing employment rather than first-time entrants, suggesting employers continue to retain skilled foreign workers for multiple years amid long delays in employment-based green card processing for countries like India.

The report comes amid renewed debate over skilled immigration in the US, with business groups arguing H-1B workers fill genuine shortages in specialised occupations, while critics contend the programme can depress wages or displace domestic workers.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/by ZTebaykina