The H-1B visa program has been a crucial gateway for skilled foreign professionals seeking employment in the United States. Over the past decade (2015–2025), the landscape of H-1B visa approvals, denials, and policy changes has seen dramatic shifts influenced by political changes, immigration laws, and economic trends.
In this article, we explore the most surprising trends, statistics, and insights from the past ten years, offering a clearer picture of how the H-1B program has evolved and what it means for employers and applicants today.
H-1B Visa Trends from 2015 to 2025: A Decade of Changes
The H-1B visa allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations such as IT, engineering, healthcare, and finance. However, approval rates, denials, and lottery selections have varied significantly over the years. Let’s examine the key trends that have shaped this period.
1. H-1B Visa Approval and Denial Rates
Denial Rate Trends
- 2015-2017: The H-1B visa denial rate remained stable, averaging between 6% and 8%.
- 2018-2019: Denial rates spiked to 24% in FY 2018, mainly due to restrictive policies under the Trump administration.
- 2020-2022: Denials dropped significantly to just 2% in FY 2022, following policy reversals by the Biden administration.
Key Takeaway: H-1B visa denials have been highly dependent on the political environment, with stricter policies leading to more rejections.
Approval Rate Trends
- 2015-2019: Approval rates remained above 85%, but there was a sharp decline in 2018.
- 2020-2025: The highest approval rate recorded was 98% in 2022, as visa policies became more lenient.
2. H-1B Lottery and Application Numbers
The H-1B visa cap is limited to 85,000 visas per year, including 20,000 reserved for those with U.S. master’s degrees. The increasing number of applicants has made the lottery system extremely competitive.
Application Trends
- 2021: Electronic registration system introduced, leading to 275,000 applications.
- 2022-2024: Applications skyrocketed, peaking at 780,884 in FY 2024.
- 2025: Applications dropped to 470,342, possibly due to changing market conditions.
Key Takeaway: The H-1B lottery system has become more competitive, with nearly 1 in 5 applicants securing a visa in recent years.
3. Policy Changes and Their Impact
Trump Administration (2017-2020)
- Increased Request for Evidence (RFE) cases, leading to delays.
- Stricter eligibility scrutiny for IT and consulting firms.
- Higher denial rates for Indian IT companies, particularly those using H-1B visas for staffing models.
Biden Administration (2021-2025)
- Reduced denial rates and RFEs, making it easier for applicants.
- Introduction of fairer selection policies, ensuring a balanced distribution of visas.
- Greater acceptance of STEM-related roles, reflecting industry demand.
Key Takeaway: Policy shifts greatly impact H-1B visa approval chances, with Republican administrations favoring stricter regulations and Democratic administrations adopting more lenient policies.
4. Salary Trends for H-1B Workers
- Average H-1B wages have increased, primarily due to prevailing wage rule changes.
- STEM jobs saw the highest wage growth, with many exceeding $100,000 annually.
- Tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft offered some of the highest salaries to attract international talent.
5. Green Card Backlogs and Their Impact on H-1B Holders
- Many H-1B workers from India and China have faced long wait times for green cards.
- The country cap system has delayed green card processing, leading to frustration among foreign workers.
- Legislative efforts to clear backlogs have been slow, despite advocacy from tech companies.
6. Future Outlook: What’s Next for H-1B Visas?
1. AI & Automation Impact
- The demand for data scientists, AI engineers, and cybersecurity professionals is rising.
- Some traditional IT jobs may be replaced by automation, affecting H-1B job availability.
2. Potential Immigration Reforms
- Discussions about increasing visa quotas and eliminating country caps are ongoing.
- There is strong industry lobbying for a more flexible visa system.
3. Work-from-Anywhere Policies
- Some companies now prefer remote workers, which may reduce H-1B demand.
- U.S. firms are hiring foreign talent remotely, avoiding visa complexities.
Key Takeaway: The future of H-1B visas depends on legislative reforms, global job trends, and technological advancements.
