Meta, Google, and Amazon reduce H-1B applications amid Trump's visa policies

H-1B visa applications at leading tech firms showed a significant decrease towards the year's end, as per federal figures, amid rising layoffs and fresh visa limitations.

The reduction corresponds with recent alterations to the work visa regulations enacted in September that have increased costs and subjected applicants to more rigorous examination.

Meanwhile, tech behemoths like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft have navigated multiple batches of layoffs.

Data from the Department of Labor indicates that numerous employers submitted a noticeably smaller number of H-1B visa applications in the initial quarter of fiscal year 2026 compared to the previous year. According to the federal calendar, Q1 spans from October to December.

Amazon had the greatest number of approved applications but experienced a significant reduction, plummeting from 4,647 in Q1 2025 to 3,057 in Q1 2026.

Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft—also principal visa sponsors—reported decreases in their approved applications from the previous year. At Meta and Google, numbers plummeted by nearly 50%.

Business Insider also detected declines in visa applications at other tech companies compared to the prior year's data, including IBM, Salesforce, and Tesla. These figures are detailed in the chart below.

Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Intel refrained from commenting. Amazon, Apple, Cisco, IBM, Nvidia, Oracle, Salesforce, and Tesla did not answer email requests for their comments.

While Big Tech invests at an unmatched level in developing and deploying AI, they are reducing their workforce. Companies are minimising headcounts and spotlighting smaller, more focused teams.

One outlier exists. Nvidia's H-1B applications rose year-over-year, moving from 369 in Q1 2025 to 434 in Q1 2026. CEO Jensen Huang, a Taiwan native, disclosed that Nvidia will persist in hiring immigrants despite the Trump administration establishing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions.

The statistics solely represent Labor Department certifications, not final visa endorsements or lottery outcomes. Multiple applications might pertain to a single worker. 

And although Q1 figures provide an early overview, yearly totals could fluctuate based on hiring timelines or other variables.