Eight Republican lawmakers led by Arizona Congressman Eli Crane have tabled the “End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026” in the US House of Representatives. The draft legislation—introduced on 25 April—would freeze issuance of new H-1B visas for three years, slash the annual cap to 25,000 thereafter, impose a US $200,000 minimum salary and scrap the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme for international graduates. If enacted, the bill would up-end a pathway used by roughly 70 percent Indian STEM professionals seeking long-term US careers. It also bans third-party placements and prohibits H-1B holders from changing status to permanent residency, a move immigration attorneys describe as “a near-total reset” of the skilled-migration system. The proposal faces an uphill battle in the Democrat-controlled Senate, where 60 votes would be needed to overcome a filibuster.
![US Bill Seeks Three-Year Pause and $200k Salary Floor for H-1B Visas, Alarming Indian Tech Sector]()
For Indian professionals and HR teams exploring fallback options, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides a streamlined way to compare alternative work-permit routes, understand documentation requirements and submit applications to countries such as Canada, the UK and Mexico—helping organisations keep talent mobility plans on track even as U.S. visa rules remain in flux.
Yet observers warn that even the debate could delay the FY 2027 H-1B lottery and encourage rival destinations such as Canada and the UK—both expanding tech-talent schemes—to court Indian applicants. Indian IT majors Infosys and TCS, which together filed over 17,000 H-1B petitions last year, said in stock-exchange filings that they are assessing contingency plans, including greater near-shore hiring in Mexico and Canada. Universities worry that ending OPT would deter Indian enrolments in US graduate programmes. Mobility managers should brief affected staff, monitor committee mark-ups and be ready to accelerate L-1 or Canada Global Talent Stream applications if the bill gains traction.
For Indian professionals and HR teams exploring fallback options, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides a streamlined way to compare alternative work-permit routes, understand documentation requirements and submit applications to countries such as Canada, the UK and Mexico—helping organisations keep talent mobility plans on track even as U.S. visa rules remain in flux.
Yet observers warn that even the debate could delay the FY 2027 H-1B lottery and encourage rival destinations such as Canada and the UK—both expanding tech-talent schemes—to court Indian applicants. Indian IT majors Infosys and TCS, which together filed over 17,000 H-1B petitions last year, said in stock-exchange filings that they are assessing contingency plans, including greater near-shore hiring in Mexico and Canada. Universities worry that ending OPT would deter Indian enrolments in US graduate programmes. Mobility managers should brief affected staff, monitor committee mark-ups and be ready to accelerate L-1 or Canada Global Talent Stream applications if the bill gains traction.
