Here are 10 American companies hiring, sponsoring the most foreign workers

About ten companies in the United States (U.S) consistently hired and sponsored skilled foreign workers for the most H-1B visas in 2024.

These statistics from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) highlights an increased dependence on skilled foreign workers.

Amazon leads with 9,265 approved H-1B visas over the past five years, predominantly hiring engineers and tech professionals. Following closely are Infosys, an Indian-based IT outsourcing giant, with 8,140 approvals, and Cognizant, with 6,321 approvals.

Google ranks fourth with 5,364 approved visas, while Tata Consultancy Services holds the fifth position with 5,274 approvals.

These figures underscore the significant demand for H-1B workers, especially in the technology and IT services sectors.

In 2024, the majority of H-1B visa beneficiaries were concentrated among the top petitioning companies, primarily within the tech sector.

During the 2024 fiscal year, USCIS received 780,884 H-1B registrations, marking a substantial increase from 483,927 in the previous fiscal year.

The primary goal of the H-1B visa programme is to enable U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with specialised skills and expertise in occupations that require a high degree of technical or professional knowledge.

By addressing domestic talent shortages, the programme has fostered business growth, technological advancements, and increased productivity. For decades, tech companies have heavily relied on highly skilled workers through this programme.

H-1B visa faces criticism

Musk recently sparked an online debate by claiming the U.S. lacks top engineers while suggesting immigration as a solution.

“There is a dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America,” Musk posted on his social media platform, X, as he compared tech companies to a pro sports team scouting for players.

“If you force the world’s best talent to play for the other side, America will lose”, he added.

Here are the top ten companies which approved the most number of skilled worker visa based on data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The U.S. department of homeland security will now be implementing new changes relating to the H-1B visa program to take effect from January 17.

Its core purpose is to facilitate the employment of professional foreign workers while scaling up the monitoring systems.

The new provisions includes using Form I-129 which officially comes into effect on the effective date.

Despite its advantages, the H-1B program has faced criticism for being used to outsource jobs and potentially exploit visa holders, who are often tied to their employers for sponsorship.

While reforms are needed to ensure fair wages and prevent misuse, the H-1B visa program remains a significant boon to the U.S. economy, particularly in sectors reliant on specialised talent. It represents both an opportunity and a responsibility, necessitating balanced policies to optimise its impact.