- H1B visa rejection rate at its highest
- Visa renewal rejection rates also increasing
- Indians faced with rejected applications faced with a choice between moving back home and to countries like Canada
For many software engineers, the chance to be sent to the USA on an H1B visa is the factor that pushes them into the field. The dream is to work in America for long enough to get a Green Card and eventually, citizenship. But, as the H1B rejection rate increases, many Indians are seeing their dreams turn to dust.
Companies Affected By Rising H1B Rejections Rates
| Company | Fresh Approvals | Denials |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | 500 | 790 |
| TCS | 528 | 152 |
| Infosys | 69 | 80 |
| Deloitte | 593 | 295 |
| Capgemini | 273 | 1,061 |
| Microsoft | 1,252 | 13 |
| Amazon | 2,399 | 23 |
| Wipro | 273 | 82 |
| Accenture | 363 | 160 |
| HCL | 196 | 100 |
Tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, TCS, and Infosys are amongst those affected the most by America’s stance on local hiring. When companies want to hire immigrants, they must sponsor the H1B visas.
In 2018, TCS got 528 fresh visas approved while 152 were denied. Cognizant had 790 visa application denied and only 500 approved.
| Company | H1Bvisa rejection rate FY15 | H1Bvisa rejection rate FY19 |
|---|---|---|
| Wipro | 7% | 62% |
| Infosys | 2% | 57% |
| TCS | 2% | 43% |
| HCL | 6% | 37% |
In 2015, Wipro saw an H1B visa rejection rate of around 7% but by FY19, this had increased to 62%.
Similarly, visa rejection rates have gone from single-digit figures in FY15 to double digits in FY19 for other tech companies like HCL, Infosys and TCS. Not only is this disheartening for aspiring engineers, but it also leads to business difficulties for the companies and their clients.
Why Is The H1B Rejection Rate Rising?
| Year | Rejection Rate |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 6% |
| 2016 | 10% |
| 2017 | 13% |
| 2018 | 24% |
| 2019 | 32% |
The rejection rate for a US visa is between 40 and 50% today. However, not more than 2 years ago, this rate was only around 4-5%. The main reason for this is the Trump administration’s focus on local hiring.
The USCIS has been given a freer hand with Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and the guidelines for approving visas has been made more stringent. In 2016, the RFE rate for Indians applying for an H1B visa was 5%. In 2018, this had increased to 50%.
Challenging Times For Indians in the USA
It isn’t just fresh applications that are seeing a spike in rejection rates. H1B visa renewal rates have spiked from 3% in 2015 to 18% in 2019.
| year | H1b Visa Renewal Rejection Rate |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 3% |
| 2016 | 4% |
| 2017 | 5% |
| 2018 | 12% |
| 2019 | 18% |
An increasing number of visa extension applications are also being rejected. As a result, many Indians in the USA are realizing that they may have to leave the country and move back to India or to countries like Canada.
The move is a fresh start that is hard enough for an individual let alone families with school-going children. People who have moved back to India are struggling with adjusting to the pollution and chaos associated with Indian cities.
Also See
- New USCIS Policy Makes It Easier To Deny H1B Visa Applications
- H1B Visa Applications Drop for 2nd Year in a Row
- USA H1B Visa Processing At Its Slowest Since 2014
- Premium Processing Of H1B Visa: Fewer Takers Among Indian IT Firms
- Indian IT Firms To Be Hit By Latest H1B Changes
- USA Immigration and the American Dream – Believers and the Non-Believers
- US Think Tank Advises Easing of H1B Visa Restrictions and Green Cards for STEM Graduates
