FX.co ★ Visa reform fallout: firms most exposed to Trump’s H-1B shift

Amazon

Amazon ranks as the top US employer of H-1B visa holders, with over 10,000 employees on the program. This heavy reliance on foreign talent makes the company especially exposed to new visa restrictions. H-1B workers at Amazon support not only software development but also logistics technology and cloud services. For the business, tighter visa rules could lead to staff shortages and billions in additional costs if new fees are introduced for each visa application.

Tata Consultancy Services

Tata Consultancy Services holds the second spot in H-1B sponsorship, with over 5,500 approved applications. As India's largest IT services firm, it actively leverages the H-1B program to execute US-based projects. While Indian companies' dependency on the visa has gradually declined, their footprint remains sizable. In the first half of 2025 alone, Indian firms accounted for over 13,000 visas, or roughly 13% of total H-1B approvals. For TCS, new fees could significantly inflate project costs in the US market.

Microsoft

Microsoft ranks third among H-1B employers, with nearly 5,200 approved applications. The company has long prioritized global recruitment, bringing in top-tier talent for software engineering, product development, and R&D functions. However, the latest visa reforms could lead to substantial new costs for the corporation. Rising administrative and compliance burdens may force Microsoft to reevaluate its staffing strategies and workforce distribution across its US operations.

Meta

With over 5,100 approved applications, Meta ranks fourth on the list of H-1B employers. The company actively recruits international talent, particularly in fields such as artificial intelligence and data analytics. This strong reliance on global technical expertise makes Meta especially vulnerable to tightening visa policies, as any restrictions directly impact its ability to scale key initiatives and maintain its competitive edge in the technology race.

Apple

Apple has secured more than 4,200 approved H-1B visa applications, highlighting the company's high demand for hardware and software engineers. A significant portion of these specialists contribute to the development of core products, from mobile devices to cloud services. For Apple, stricter visa rules mean more than just rising recruitment costs. They could potentially delay innovation pipelines that depend on a steady influx of international engineering talent.

Google

Google ranks sixth among H-1B employers, with more than 4,100 approved applications. Foreign specialists play a critical role in advancing the company’s search technologies, cloud infrastructure, and artificial intelligence platforms. Access to global talent has long underpinned Google’s innovation strategy, but increased visa-related costs and processing hurdles may slow down talent acquisition and pose challenges to its technology development pace.

Cognizant Technology Solutions

Cognizant Technology Solutions, formally headquartered in New Jersey but with deep Indian roots, remains one of the largest employers of international talent in the US. By mid-fiscal year 2025, the company had secured nearly 2,500 H-1B visa approvals. This heavy reliance on foreign professionals highlights its vulnerability to shifts in US immigration policy, particularly in consulting and software development, areas that engage thousands of engineers and analysts.