Big Tech Sponsorships Plummet: Is There Still a Path for Staying in the U.S. via H-1B?

A change worthy of attention from international students and families working in the U.S. is emerging in the H-1B market.

WorldWay Immigration has noted that, according to the latest data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), affected by the previous $100,000 H-1B fee, several large IT companies that have historically used H-1B visas in high volumes experienced a significant decline in lottery registrations this year.

And as the U.S. government proposes another new $103,000 H-1B fee, whether companies will remain willing to continue sponsoring H-1B visas for foreign employees is becoming a more realistic question.

The most evident shift this time comes from several major historical H-1B sponsors.

Data shows:

• Infosys: H-1B lottery registrations decreased by more than 8,100 this year, a year-on-year drop of about 91%;

• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS): Decreased by more than 5,600, a year-on-year drop of about 95%;

• Cognizant: Dropped directly from 3,752 in the previous year to 0;

• IBM: Decreased by more than 2,700, dropping to nearly zero.

These companies have historically been major users of the U.S. H-1B program.

A key reason for this substantial drop in registrations is that the cost for companies to sponsor H-1B visas is rising significantly.

In 2025, the U.S. government imposed an additional $100,000 fee on certain individuals applying for H-1B visas from outside the United States.

This policy had a particularly pronounced impact on IT consulting firms that transfer large numbers of employees from overseas to work in the U.S.

Previously, although sponsoring an H-1B employee required paying filing fees, attorney fees, and other expenses, the overall cost remained within an acceptable range for employers.

$100,000 is an entirely different proposition.

If a company needs to sponsor hundreds or even thousands of H-1B employees per year, the added cost could reach tens of millions or even over a hundred million dollars.

As a result, some companies began reducing their H-1B registrations or even refraining from participating altogether.

Although this $100,000 fee was subsequently vacated by a federal court, just as businesses breathed a sigh of relief, the U.S. government introduced a new fee proposal.

Currently, DHS is advancing a new H-1B fee proposal. (Click to read WorldWay's previous report: Sudden Change to U.S. H-1B! Proposed Additional Fee of $103,000)

Under the proposed rule, each future H-1B application subject to the annual cap could require an additional payment of $103,265.

That is more than $103,000.

Furthermore, compared to the previous $100,000 fee, this measure may affect a broader group of people.

The prior fee primarily impacted applicants applying for H-1B visas from outside the U.S. to enter the country for work.

If the new fee schedule is ultimately implemented, international students studying in the U.S. who work on OPT after graduation and change status from F-1 to H-1B could also be affected.

At present, this policy remains in the proposed stage and has not been officially implemented.

However, for companies, a very real question is already at hand:

Are they willing to pay over $100,000 extra to hire a foreign worker?

For high-paying, highly technical, and difficult-to-replace positions, large corporations might still be willing to absorb the cost.

However, for recent international graduates, entry-level positions, and highly replaceable roles, the situation could be entirely different.

The Institute for Progress (IFP), a U.S. think tank, modeled the impact of the proposed $103,000 H-1B fee.

It projects that under various scenarios, future H-1B demand could drop by approximately 63% to 91%.

Some estimates even show that if a large number of companies reduce filings due to high costs, annual H-1B demand could fall below the current annual cap of 85,000 visas.

However, this does not mean that obtaining an H-1B visa will become easier. On the contrary, the more likely scenario is that fewer companies and positions will be available to hire international students, provide H-1B sponsorship, and bear the high costs.

For international students, the prerequisite for applying for an H-1B visa is finding an employer willing to offer sponsorship in the first place.

If companies cut back on international student hiring and H-1B sponsorship due to rising costs, front-end job opportunities could decrease in tandem, even if lottery competition decreases down the line.

Therefore, "quotas may go unfilled" and "H-1B becoming easier" are fundamentally two different matters.

As H-1B visas become increasingly subject to employer costs, hiring policies, and employer willingness, many families must consider more than just whether they can win the lottery. The broader question is whether employment and status should continue to rely heavily on employer sponsorship in the years ahead.

Particularly for families who have clearly decided that their children will study, work, or pursue long-term development in the U.S., integrating immigration status into overall planning earlier provides greater flexibility for internships, employment, and career choices in the future.

This is why some families choose to explore an immigration pathway independent of employer sponsorship alongside their study abroad and career planning.

EB-5 Investment Immigration is one such option. Eligible applicants do not need to rely on a U.S. employer to provide H-1B sponsorship, nor do they need to participate in the annual H-1B lottery. Right now, the EB-5 program is also approaching two critical time milestones.

Currently, the minimum investment under the new EB-5 law remains $800,000. Starting January 1, 2027, the minimum EB-5 investment amount will increase to $900,000–$950,000 or higher; on September 30, 2026, the grandfathering protection period under the new EB-5 legislation will reach an important milestone.

As these dates approach, project selection, financial arrangements, and application preparation need to be initiated well in advance.

Ranked among Asia's Top 500 Brands with over two decades of experience in immigration services, WorldWay Group originated in Hong Kong in 1998 and maintains professional operating companies in both Hong Kong and Mainland China. Over the years, WorldWay has closely tracked changes in U.S. immigration policy, providing status planning and project services to families with U.S. education and long-term residency needs.

Currently, WorldWay is prominently featuring the I-956F approved "Deer Valley · Snow Country Residences" EB-5 rural project, as well as the "Marriott · Royal Lakefront Resort" EB-5 project launched in partnership with Peachtree Group for the fifth time, offering diverse project choices for different families.

From now until September 30, 2026, clients applying for EB-5 immigration can enjoy limited-time exclusive offers from WorldWay, further lowering application costs during the current policy window.