Within hours of the new NFAP statistics, a separate development in Washington caught the eye of India’s technology and consulting sectors. A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers late on 30 November tabled the High-Skilled Immigration Reform for Employment (HIRE) Act, proposing to increase the annual H-1B lottery quota from 85,000 to 130,000 and to make the selection process more transparent. Hindi-language daily *Navbharat Times* reported the story just after midnight on 1 December, underscoring keen Indian interest in the measure.
If enacted, the 53 % jump in available visas would be the largest expansion of the programme since 2004. The bill would also create set-asides for smaller employers, stiffen anti-fraud monitoring, and authorise automatic extensions for workers caught in green-card backlogs—changes designed to quell criticism that the system favours outsourcers at the expense of U.S. workers.
![U.S. ‘HIRE Act’ bill seeks to raise annual H-1B cap to 130,000—big boost for skilled Indians]()
Indian nationals historically win about 70 % of the annual H-1B lottery, meaning an extra 45,000 visas could open each year for engineers, researchers and healthcare professionals educated in India. That would ease pressure on campus recruiters, reduce expensive assignment delays for multinational clients and potentially slow the talent flight to Canada and Europe.
Yet passage is far from guaranteed. Labour groups and some senators want wage floors tied to local prevailing salaries, while immigration-skeptic factions prefer a points-based green-card overhaul instead of expanding temporary work permits. The bill’s sponsors argue that a bigger, better-regulated H-1B pool is essential for U.S. competitiveness in AI, quantum and biotech—and that America risks losing talent permanently if it dithers.
Indian companies and industry bodies such as NASSCOM are expected to lobby quietly for the bill while advising clients to keep contingency plans in place for the FY 2027 lottery cycle, given the likelihood of amendments and protracted debate through the 2026 U.S. election season.
If enacted, the 53 % jump in available visas would be the largest expansion of the programme since 2004. The bill would also create set-asides for smaller employers, stiffen anti-fraud monitoring, and authorise automatic extensions for workers caught in green-card backlogs—changes designed to quell criticism that the system favours outsourcers at the expense of U.S. workers.
Indian nationals historically win about 70 % of the annual H-1B lottery, meaning an extra 45,000 visas could open each year for engineers, researchers and healthcare professionals educated in India. That would ease pressure on campus recruiters, reduce expensive assignment delays for multinational clients and potentially slow the talent flight to Canada and Europe.
Yet passage is far from guaranteed. Labour groups and some senators want wage floors tied to local prevailing salaries, while immigration-skeptic factions prefer a points-based green-card overhaul instead of expanding temporary work permits. The bill’s sponsors argue that a bigger, better-regulated H-1B pool is essential for U.S. competitiveness in AI, quantum and biotech—and that America risks losing talent permanently if it dithers.
Indian companies and industry bodies such as NASSCOM are expected to lobby quietly for the bill while advising clients to keep contingency plans in place for the FY 2027 lottery cycle, given the likelihood of amendments and protracted debate through the 2026 U.S. election season.
