H-1B lottery entries from Infosys, TCS fall over 90%: US CRS report
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A US Congressional Research Service report dated October 14, 2026 shows H-1B lottery entries from Infosys and TCS fell over 90% for FY2027.
What Happened
A US Congressional Research Service (CRS) assessment dated 14 October 2026 says H-1B lottery registrations from large technology employers fell steeply for fiscal year 2027, with India's biggest IT services firms among the sharpest drops. According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) figures cited in the assessment, Infosys filed 759 registrations, down from 8,886 a year earlier, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) filed 284, down from 5,955, and Cognizant recorded none, down from 3,752.
Key Facts
- The CRS assessment is dated 14 October 2026; reports on it appeared from 16 October.
- Infosys's H-1B lottery registrations fell about 91%, from 8,886 to 759, according to the USCIS figures cited.
- TCS's registrations fell about 95%, from 5,955 to 284.
- Cognizant recorded no registrations, against 3,752 the year before, a 100% fall.
- A wage-weighted selection rule, which took effect on 27 February 2026, replaced the purely random lottery for the fiscal 2027 cap.
- Under that rule a registration at the highest wage level (Level IV) is entered four times, Level III three times, Level II twice and Level I once.
- The CRS assessment says the $100,000 fee imposed on certain H-1B petitions in September 2025 is temporarily blocked by litigation.
- The figures are lottery entries, not staff numbers, and do not change the status of people who already hold H-1B visas.
Why It Matters
The H-1B is the main US work visa for skilled foreign professionals, and for two decades it has been one of the most common routes for Indian engineers to work in the United States. Each year, employers first enter candidates in an online lottery called registration. Only those selected can go on to file a full petition. Indian IT services companies were long among the biggest users of the system, because they send engineers to work at client sites in the US.
The new figures show that this route has narrowed sharply for the big outsourcing firms. Two changes explain much of it. First, the wage-weighted rule gives better odds to jobs that pay more. A candidate offered a senior, Level IV salary has four entries in the draw, while one offered an entry-level, Level I salary has one. That favours experienced specialists and makes it harder for fresh graduates and junior engineers, who are typically offered lower wage levels. Second, the $100,000 fee announced in September 2025 raised the expected cost of a new H-1B hire, even though the CRS assessment notes it is now on hold in the courts.
For Indian students and young professionals, the message is practical. A first job abroad through a large Indian IT firm, followed by a transfer to the US on an H-1B, is now a much less reliable plan than it was a few years ago. The skills that attract higher wage levels, such as specialised engineering, data and AI work, matter more under the new system, and so do roles in India itself, including at the global capability centres (GCCs) that foreign companies run in Indian cities.
Infosys, TCS and Cognizant: H-1B lottery registrations Company | FY2026 | FY2027 Infosys | 8,886 | 759 TCS | 5,955 | 284 Cognizant | 3,752 | 0
Impact
Short-term: Fewer Indian engineers employed by the large IT firms will be selected for US work visas in the coming year. Companies are likely to rely more on staff already in the US, local American hires and teams working from India.
Long-term: If the wage-weighted rule and higher costs remain, the H-1B is likely to become a route mainly for senior and highly paid specialists. More of the work Indian IT firms do for US clients could be delivered from India, which may support jobs and GCC growth at home while reducing chances to work abroad early in a career.
Who is affected: Indian engineering graduates and junior IT staff who hoped to work in the US; Indian IT services companies and their US clients; US universities' Indian students planning to stay on to work; and families who depend on income earned abroad.
Key Takeaway
A US Congressional Research Service assessment of 14 October 2026 shows H-1B lottery entries from Infosys, TCS and Cognizant fell by 91% to 100% for fiscal 2027, as a wage-weighted lottery and higher costs favour senior, higher-paid hires.
Questions and Answers
How many H-1B registrations did Infosys and TCS file for fiscal 2027?
According to USCIS figures cited in a US Congressional Research Service assessment dated 14 October 2026, Infosys filed 759 registrations, down from 8,886, and TCS filed 284, down from 5,955. Cognizant filed none, down from 3,752.
What is the wage-weighted H-1B lottery?
It is a rule, in force from 27 February 2026, that gives each registration more entries in the draw the higher the offered wage level: four for Level IV, three for Level III, two for Level II and one for Level I. It replaced a purely random draw.
Does this affect people who already have an H-1B visa?
No. The figures count new lottery entries by employers. They are not staff numbers and do not change the immigration status of current H-1B holders.
Is the $100,000 H-1B fee being charged?
The CRS assessment says the $100,000 fee on certain H-1B petitions, introduced in September 2025, is temporarily blocked by litigation, so its future depends on the courts.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
