H1B Visa Statistics

The H-1B visa program plays an important role in the U.S. workforce by allowing employers to hire highly skilled foreign professionals, particularly in specialized fields such as technology, healthcare, engineering, and finance.

Each year, thousands of workers receive new visas or renew existing ones, contributing significantly to innovation, research, and economic growth. In 2025, approximately 479,953 registrations were submitted.

This article provides a detailed overview of H-1B visa statistics, including total registrations, lottery selections, income levels across professions, and more.

What is an H1B Visa?

The H1B visa is a U.S. non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in “speciality occupations temporarily.” These are jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a specific field. It’s a key part of the U.S. immigration system, particularly for the technology and IT sectors.

• H1B visas are designed to help U.S. companies fill workforce gaps with highly skilled foreign talent.
• Initially granted for up to three years and extendable to a maximum of six years.
• Further extensions may be possible if the worker is in the process of applying for a green card.

H1B Visa Registrations (2021-2025)

H1B visa registrations have shown notable fluctuations in recent years. Total registrations increased steadily from 274,235 in FY 2021 to a peak of 780,342 in FY 2024, reflecting growing demand for skilled foreign workers. 

In FY 2025, registrations declined to 479,953, indicating a moderation in applicant numbers following the previous year’s surge. This trend highlights both the high demand for H1B visas and the year-to-year variability in the application process.

H1B Visa Selection (2020-2025)

The H-1B visa has become more competitive in recent years due to growing demand and limited availability. The number of visas selected each year has stayed relatively steady, with 124,415 in 2021, 131,924 in 2022, 127,600 in 2023, a peak of 188,400 in 2024, and then 135,137 in 2025.

This shows that while interest in the H-1B program continues to rise, the chances of being selected remain low, making the process highly competitive for applicants across degree types.

H1B Visas Approved by Country

In 2024, the majority of H1B visa recipients came from India, which accounted for 71% (283,397) of the total, reflecting the country’s strong presence in the U.S. technology and IT workforce. China followed with 11.7% (46,680), while other countries such as the Philippines (1.3%), Canada (1.1%), South Korea (1.0%), Mexico (0.8%), Taiwan (0.8%), and Pakistan (0.8%) made up smaller but notable shares. 

This highlights how the H1B program continues to serve as the primary pathway for highly skilled professionals, particularly Indian tech talent, to work in the United States.

H1B Recipients by Occupation

In FY 2024, more than six in ten H1B visa recipients were employed in computer-related occupations, making up 63.9% of all approved beneficiaries. Other major fields included architecture, engineering, and surveying (10.2%), education (6.0%), and administrative specialization (5.4%). 

Smaller shares went to medicine and health (4.2%), mathematics and physical science (2.8%), life sciences (1.9%), and managerial roles (1.7%). This breakdown highlights the technology sector’s dominance in driving H1B demand, while also demonstrating its significance across various professional fields in the U.S. workforce.

ALSO READ: United States AI Industry: Key Statistics and Trends (2025–2026)

Top 10 employers of H1B visa holders as of June 2025

As of June 2025, the top employers of H1B visa holders include a mix of technology giants, consulting firms, financial institutions, and retailers. Amazon.com Services leads the list with over 10,000 H1B workers, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, and Meta, each employing thousands of skilled professionals. 

Other major employers include Apple, Google, Cognizant, JPMorgan Chase, Walmart, and Deloitte, highlighting how H1B talent is spread across sectors ranging from IT and consulting to finance and retail. This demonstrates the continued reliance of U.S. companies on global talent to fill critical skill gaps.

Median Income for New H1B Visa Workers

New H1B visa approvals in 2025 show a wide range of median incomes across occupations, reflecting both demand and specialisation. Computer-related roles make up the largest share, with over 75,000 new visas and a median income of $101K, while professional, technical, and managerial workers earn among the highest at $125K. Law and jurisprudence positions top the chart with a striking $207K median income. 

Other high-paying areas include managers and officials ($110K) and math and physical sciences ($104K). In contrast, fields like education ($68K), entertainment and recreation ($64K), and religion and theology ($49K) report lower median earnings, highlighting significant variation by profession.

Median Income for Renewed H1B Visa Workers

Renewed H1B visa workers in 2025 earn notably higher median incomes compared to new approvals, reflecting career progression and experience. Computer-related occupations, with nearly 180,000 renewed visas, report a median salary of $135K, while high-demand fields like medicine and health ($141K), math and physical sciences ($140K), and education ($140K) also see strong earnings. 

Professional, technical, and managerial roles reach one of the highest medians at $162K, with law and jurisprudence leading all fields at $230K. By contrast, administrative specializations ($76K), entertainment ($74K), and miscellaneous roles ($72K) remain on the lower end, underscoring disparities across professions.

H1B Visa Approval Rate by Gender

In FY2022, H-1B visa approvals showed a clear gender gap, with male applicants accounting for 70.8% of approvals compared to just 29% for female applicants. This highlights the continued male dominance in H-1B visa grants, reflecting broader trends in the technology and STEM fields where most H-1B workers are employed.

Largest number of H1B Recipients by City

The largest number of H1B visa recipients in the United States is concentrated in a few key metropolitan areas. New York City leads with 372,100 approvals, followed by San Jose with 215,700, San Francisco with 165,000, and Dallas with 150,200. 

These cities collectively represent major hubs for technology, business, and innovation, reflecting the significant role of H1B workers in driving economic and technological growth in these regions.

Type of Approved H1B Petitions

In FY2024, approved H1B petitions were distributed across both new and continuing employment categories. Petitions for new employment accounted for 35%, while new concurrent employment made up less than 1%. 

Among continuing employment, extensions of stay represented 25%, amendments 24%, and change of employer (sequential employment) 16%. This breakdown highlights that while a significant portion of approvals support new hires, a substantial share also facilitates ongoing employment adjustments for existing H1B workers.

H1B Visa Approval Rate 

The H-1B visa approval rate has remained consistently high over the past five years, averaging around 97–98%. In 2025, the approval rate stood at 97.8%, with 9% of cases completed through a Request for Evidence (RFE) and 85.4% approved after an RFE. 

Similar trends were seen in previous years, with 98% approvals in both 2022 and 2024, and slightly lower at 97.2% in 2023 and 97.3% in 2021. While RFEs remain a part of the process, the data show that the majority of applicants who receive them are still able to secure approval.

H1B Visa Denial Rate

The denial rate for initial H1B petitions has experienced significant fluctuations over the past decade. It climbed from 6% in FY 2015 to a peak of 24% in FY 2018 and FY 2019, reflecting stricter adjudication during that period. 

However, the trend reversed in subsequent years, with steady improvements leading to a record low denial rate of just 2.15% in FY 2025. This decline highlights a more favourable environment for H1B applicants in recent years.

Top Reasons for H1B Visa Denial

A successful H1B application requires both the employer and the employee to meet all visa requirements. Any errors or ineligibility at any of the three stages can result in denial. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Not meeting the speciality occupation requirements.
• Lack of appropriate academic qualifications.
• Failure to provide proof for third-party work-site arrangements.
• Improper maintenance of current residency status.
• Inability to establish a valid employer-employee relationship.
• Employee being deemed inadmissible to the U.S.
• Inability to demonstrate the ability to pay the prevailing wage.
• Not responding to a Request for Evidence (RFE).
• Failure to pay the required filing fees.

H-1B Visa Chances for Bachelor’s Degree Graduates

For applicants with a bachelor’s degree, the chances of securing an H-1B visa have varied significantly over the years. In 2020, the acceptance rate was 21.6%, but it dropped steadily to just 7.67% in 2023, the lowest point in recent years.

The rate improved slightly in 2024 to 12.37% and rose further to 16.92% in 2025. Overall, the data show that while opportunities for bachelor’s degree graduates remain limited, the chances have seen a modest recovery after a sharp decline.

Recent H1B Visa Policy Changes

A recent proclamation by the Trump administration has introduced a substantial new fee, which has the potential to reshape the H1B landscape significantly.

As of September 21, 2025, a new $100,000 fee is required for certain new H1B petitions. This fee is meant to be paid by the sponsoring company, not the applicant. The purpose of this fee is to deter companies from over-relying on foreign workers and to generate revenue for domestic training programs.

Impact of H1B Visa Fee Increase

The dramatic fee hike is expected to lead to a significant statistical decline in new H1B visa applications.

• Reduced Application Volume: Analysts at JPMorgan Chase estimate a potential reduction of up to 5,500 new work authorizations per month. This would drastically lower the number of H1B visas issued, possibly by over 60,000 per year, assuming the demand for the visas isn’t completely eliminated.
• Shift to Alternative Visas: Companies and highly skilled professionals are expected to pivot to alternative visa categories with more favorable cost structures and no annual cap.
  • L-1 Visa: This visa for intracompany transfers is now a much more attractive option, especially for multinational corporations that can transfer employees from their overseas offices. The average cost for an L-1 visa is around $7,000, making it a dramatically cheaper alternative.
  • O-1 Visa: The O-1 visa for individuals of “extraordinary ability” is also gaining traction. With an average cost of around $12,000 and no annual cap, it offers a pathway for top-tier talent. The statistical approval rate for O-1 visas has been higher than H1B visas, at around 93% vs. the H1B’s pre-2025 rejection rate of up to 24%.

Future Outlook for H1B Visa

The future of H-1B visas is expected to be more competitive and selective. A decrease in the total number of applications is expected due to the new, significant application fees that have been implemented.

This could also lead to a shift in the type of applicants, with a greater focus on highly skilled, higher-paid workers as the U.S. government moves towards a more merit-based system. Consequently, smaller companies may find it more difficult to hire foreign talent, potentially reducing their reliance on the H-1B program.

Additionally, the lingering green card backlogs and stricter visa scrutiny could encourage skilled professionals to seek opportunities in other countries with more straightforward immigration pathways.