Top 18 Tech Companies with Maximum H-1B Visa Approvals in Early 2025: Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Google Lead the List

In the first half of 2025, a handful of technology giants and large IT firms dominated the landscape of H-1 B visa approvals, securing the lion’s share of authorizations granted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). According to recently released data, companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Google stand out, along with about 14 others, as the major beneficiaries. These figures reflect ongoing trends in the U.S. tech sector’s reliance on foreign skilled laboreven as the H-1 B program comes under increased scrutiny and faces new policy changes.

What the Numbers Show

Amazon leads by a wide margin, with 10,044 approvals through June 2025, making it the top H-1 B recipient among all employers in that period. 

Following Amazon, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) an Indian IT giant is second with 5,505 approved visas in the same period. 

Among U.S. technology firms, Microsoft secured 5,189 approvals, while Meta Platforms Inc. earned 5,123 approvals. 

Apple and Google also appear prominently: Apple had 4,202 approvals, and Google had 4,181 in the same window. 

Beyond those, other significant names include Cognizant, Deloitte, Infosys, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra Americas, among others, each receiving thousands or hundreds of H-1 B approvals. 

A representative list (not exhaustive) of top employers and their H-1B counts for the first half of 2025:

Rank Company / Organization Approved H-1 B Visas (H1 2025)

1 Amazon Com Services LLC 10,044 

2 Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) 5,505 

3 Microsoft Corporation 5,189 

4 Meta Platforms, Inc. 5,123 

5 Apple Inc. 4,202 

6 Google LLC 4,181 

7 Cognizant Technology Solutions 2,493 

8 Murugan Chase & Co 2,440 

9 Walmart Associates Inc 2,390 

10 Deloitte Consulting LLP 2,353 

Infosys 2,004 

Wipro ~1,523 

Tech Mahindra Americas ~951 

These numbers combine new petitions, renewals, extensions, and transfers — not purely new entries. 

Why These Firms Dominate H-1B Approvals

1. High Demand for Specialized Talent

Tech giants often require specialized skills—artificial intelligence, data science, cloud computing, cybersecurity—that might be difficult to source locally in sufficient numbers. The H-1B visa program is a primary route to bring in global technical talent.

2. Scale and Resources to Sponsor Widely

Large companies are well equipped to manage the administrative, legal, and financial burdens of H-1B filings. Smaller firms or startups often find the costs, risks, and compliance complexities too steep.

3. Renewals and Transfers Contribute Heavily

Not every H-1B approval is a new hire. Many are for visa renewals, extensions, or transfers from one employer or location to another. Analysts caution that raw count increases can be misleading if we don’t distinguish new hiring from maintenance of existing employments. 

4. Global Talent Strategy

These firms operate across countries and recruit from a global talent pool. Approving H-1Bs helps maintain their cross-border engineering and research capabilities.

Challenges & Policy Shifts in 2025

New $100,000 Fee Proposal

In September 2025, the U.S. administration introduced a proposal imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, aiming to discourage lower-skilled usage of the program and protect U.S. workers. 

While controversial, that change could reshape how companies pursue H-1B sponsorship, possibly favoring very high-wage petitions or reducing lower-tier hiring. 

Political & Legal Scrutiny

Lawmakers are scrutinizing firms that continue aggressive H- 1 B hiring while conducting layoffs of U.S. employees. Recent letters to companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta push for transparency about displacement, wage levels, and domestic hiring practices. 

Possible Distortions in Data

Because USCIS aggregates new, renewal, and transfer approvals, the headline numbers may mask deeper trends. Analysts caution against over interpreting growth in approvals as simply “more foreign hiring.”

Implications for Job Seekers & Stakeholders

For foreign professionals: This concentration means that major tech firms may continue to lead in H-1B opportunities, but competition will be fierce.

Strategic filings matter: Applicants should target high-skill, high-wage roles and employers with track records of H-1B success.

Watch policy changes closely: Any implementation of the higher fee or stricter scrutiny could reduce the number of available slots or shift priorities.

Domestic labor concerns: Critics warn that these large-scale H-1B sponsorships may depress wages or displace U.S. workers, especially in roles that don’t require elite specialization.

Administrative burden & cost: Smaller companies may struggle to scale their H-1B programs under the new regime, giving further advantage to tech giants.

Conclusion

In H1 2025, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Google along with a group of tech and IT firms clearly dominated the H-1B approval landscape, reaping thousands of visa approvals. While these numbers speak to these companies’ scale and their dependency on global talent, they also raise questions about fairness, data interpretation, and evolving U.S. immigration policy.Given that new policy proposals like the $100,000 filing fee may come into force soon, the future dynamics of H-1B sponsorship are likely to shift. Companies, candidates, and policymakers must all adapt to this new reality.