According to a report from Forbes, efforts in artificial intelligence by U.S. technology companies are increasing the demand for H-1B visa holders in AI-related jobs. This comes amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on foreign hiring by technology companies, particularly through the H-1B program. However, this crackdown runs counter to the US government’s plans to provide the United States with the cutting edge of AI development.
More than 80% of new labor condition applications (LCAs) for H-1B jobs at Amazon, Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Apple in fiscal year 2025 were related to AI-related jobs, according to immigration data analyzed by the National Foundation for Policy Studies (NFAP). Citing this data, a Forbes report on Sunday (US time) said foreign-born professionals are now deeply integrated into US technology companies’ AI expansion strategies.
The H-1B visa is one of the few avenues for highly skilled foreign professionals to work in the United States long-term.
The H-1B program has an annual visa cap of 65,000, with an additional 20,000 visas granted for graduates who earn U.S. advanced degrees through the Optional Practical Training (OPT) route. International students account for approximately 70% of full-time graduate school admissions in AI-related fields, making them a key talent pool for technology companies recruiting specialized engineers and researchers.
The report on hiring AI talent using H-1B visas comes amid concerns about the future of the program used to hire temporary workers, particularly in the technology sector. Due to the crackdown on H-1B visas, Engineers stranded in India Away from work and family in the United States Visa renewal interviews postponed to 2027.
AI race driving H-1B adopted by US technology company
According to a report by The Forbes, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Google filed the most approved new H-1B petitions in fiscal year 2025, when huge investments in artificial intelligence are at stake, while Apple ranked sixth according to the NFAP analysis. This data confirms that companies hired talent to complement their AI spending and broader capital investment plans.
CNBC reported in 2025 that “Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon each raised their capital spending guidelines and expect their combined spending to reach more than $380 billion this year.” Analysts say such spending makes it difficult to argue that companies are hiring H-1B workers to cut costs, given U.S. immigration wage rules, according to a Forbes report published Sunday. Amazon plans to invest an additional $200 billion in 2026, mainly in data centers, while Google plans to spend up to $185 billion and Meta plans to spend more than $300 billion.
More than 80% of LCAs for new H-1B jobs at Amazon, Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Apple in fiscal year 2025 were for AI-related jobs, according to an NFAP analysis of Department of Labor data cited in the Forbes report. Amazon submitted more than 60% of LCAs for software developers, while Meta submitted 58% for similar roles. Google has over 71% of its applications for software developers, while Apple’s application includes 40% for software developers and 24% for electronic and electrical engineers.
Economists say investment in AI has supported economic growth. JP Morgan’s Stephanie Ariagui told Forbes: “As consumption softens, the rise in AI is making the economy more resilient.”
Economists Giovanni Peri, Kevin See, and Chad Sperber found that 30% to 50% of U.S. productivity growth from 1990 to 2010 could be explained by STEM inflows from abroad, and Michael Clemens estimated that up to one-sixth of economic growth was due to foreign-born science and engineering professionals.
Joe Rennison wrote in the New York Times that the S&P 500’s rise reflects expectations that AI will underpin future market gains.
Steps to limit immigration risks eroding America’s AI edge
But new immigration measures could complicate employment. In December 2025, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. and the Association of American Universities are challenging a $100,000 fee imposed on new H-1B visa applicants. According to Forbes magazine, There is a $100,000 fee for new H-1B applications By increasing the financial burden on companies that want to hire foreign workers, it would price out many foreign workers from the American job market.
The Trump administration also finalized changes to the previous random lottery selection system that favored senior professionals over new graduates. New wage weighting systemand Proposed limits for OPT Student visa policies that limit skills development opportunities for international students.
History has shown that the Trump administration’s ambitious policies to curb the ability of American companies to hire foreign-born talent in the United States will backfire. A study by Britta Glennon, an assistant professor at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, concluded that new entry restrictions on H-1B visas would push jobs out of the United States.
“Policies motivated by concerns about local job losses should consider that policies aimed at reducing immigration have the unintended consequence of encouraging companies to offshore jobs overseas,” she said in an interview with Forbes, potentially undermining America’s leadership in artificial intelligence.
Monopolistic competition in artificial intelligence by U.S. technology companies is fueling strong demand for H-1B visa holders even as future employment is threatened by stricter immigration regulations. As NFAP data reveals, US technology giants such as Amazon, Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Apple rely heavily on foreign talent to drive the development of their AI initiatives. However, proposed policy changes under the Trump administration risk constraining this talent pipeline, potentially weakening America’s lead in AI development.
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