Trump H-1B changes make visa path tougher for Indians

The Times of India reports that the H-1B visa process for Indian professionals is becoming more selective, compliance-intensive, and unpredictable under the Trump administration. Key changes include a higher application fee (currently under litigation after a US court struck it down, likely to be appealed), a new wage-weighted lottery favouring higher-paid workers, and a sharp drop in EB-1A approval rates to 41.7% in Q2 FY2026 from 66.9% in FY2025. Indian nationals filed 26.5% of EB-1A receipts in that quarter, bearing a disproportionate impact, according to Boundless Immigration CEO Xiao Wang.

The new selection system gives greater weight to higher-paid and higher-skilled positions rather than a purely random process, said K Edward Raleigh of Fragomen. For existing H-1B holders facing layoffs, the 60-day grace period has become riskier: USCIS archived guidance allowing B-2 visa use for job searches, and a May 2026 memo treats in-country green card adjustment as extraordinary discretionary relief. Continuing employment denial rates remain low at 1.9% for FY2025.