TCS CEO Says No New H-1B Hiring in USA

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) CEO K. Krithivasan has made it clear that the IT giant is not planning to hire new H-1B visa applicants in the near future.

In a recent interview, he said the company will instead focus on expanding its local workforce in the United States and other key markets.

TCS is currently the largest employer of H-1B holders in the US, with 98,259 hires between 2009 and 2025. In 2025 alone, the company hired 5,505 H-1B applicants, ahead of Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google.

“We have enough people on H-1 already in the US. I don’t think we would be looking for adding to that count anytime now,” Krithivasan said. Readmore!

On renewing existing H-1B visas, he added, “Our original plan was always to send people on H-1 with the intention of bringing them back and rotating them. We will decide whom to renew at the appropriate time. We are looking to increase our local participation.”

Krithivasan further explained that TCS already operates with a high percentage of local associates in regions like Latin America, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific.

He also pointed out that new AI-based projects require closer collaboration with clients, making local hires more critical.

“It is going to require a very diverse skill set, compared to pure engineering or technology skills alone. Taking all this into account, we will continue to expand our local workforce in all geographies, particularly in the US and Europe,” he said.

Industry experts believe this signals a major shift in visa hiring strategy.

M. Dinesh, a consultancy manager in Hyderabad, said, “With TCS openly stating it won’t hire new H-1B holders, other major corporations like Amazon, Cognizant, and Microsoft may follow suit. Since these MNCs already have Indian branches, they will likely use L-1 visas for on-site transfers instead of paying $100,000 per H-1B applicant.”

The move could significantly reduce new H-1B demand in the coming years and accelerate the transition to L-1 visa routes for staffing US operations.

Show comments