The landscape for skilled Indian professionals seeking to work in the United States underwent a significant transformation in 2025. A series of structural reforms to the H-1B visa programme introduced new financial hurdles, deeper security checks, and a fundamental change to how visas are allocated. These shifts, implemented by the Trump administration and US immigration agencies, have created a more complex and costly pathway for both applicants and their employers, with effects that will ripple into 2026 and beyond.
New Financial Hurdles and Procedural Tightening
The year's changes began with a major financial barrier. On September 19, 2025, a presidential proclamation titled “Restrictions on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” introduced a staggering new fee. Employers filing new H-1B petitions for workers overseas were suddenly required to pay $100,000. This move was framed as an effort to prevent misuse of the programme and raise the economic stakes for hiring foreign talent. Officials clarified that this fee did not apply to extensions or change-of-status applications for those already in the US.
Around the same period, procedural convenience took a hit. The US State Department and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) largely eliminated the interview waiver, or "drop-box," programme. This meant that even applicants with a clean history, including those renewing H-1B and H-4 dependent visas, now had to attend mandatory in-person consular interviews. The goal was standardised screening, but the immediate result was longer processing times for thousands.
Digital Footprints Under the Microscope
Perhaps the most intrusive change came in late 2025 concerning personal privacy. On December 3, 2025, the Department of State announced it would expand its online presence review to cover all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants. Effective December 15, 2025, every candidate must make their social media profiles publicly viewable during the visa process for consular officers to screen.
This policy, enacted as a national security measure, does not specify particular platforms but mandates public access for routine vetting. Authorities may review public posts, interactions, and affiliations to verify details and assess potential threats. The rollout caused operational delays at US consulates worldwide, including in India. Many interviews were cancelled or rescheduled, extending wait times for visa stamping and adding uncertainty for applicants.
The End of the Random Lottery and a New Priority System
In a move that alters the core of the H-1B selection process, the Department of Homeland Security moved to end the traditional random lottery system towards the end of 2025. Replacing it is a new "weighted" allocation system that prioritises applicants based on higher wages and qualifications.
Although this rule is slated to take effect for the FY 2027 cap season starting February 27, 2026, its publication in late December 2025 set the direction. Under the new system, registrations for higher-paid and more skilled workers will receive multiple entries into the selection pool compared to those in lower wage tiers. This aligns with goals to protect US wages but has drawn criticism for potentially sidelining entry-level roles and small companies that may offer competitive salaries.
What These Changes Mean for the Future
By the close of 2025, three clear policy directions for the H-1B programme had emerged:
- Enhanced Vetting: Social media scrutiny is now a formal part of eligibility checks for primary workers and their dependants.
- Higher Cost Barriers: The new $100,000 fee for certain overseas petitions reshapes employer cost-benefit analyses.
- Selection Reform: The shift from a lottery to a wage-based system fundamentally changes who gets selected.
These developments paint a picture of a US immigration system in transition, where national security, labour economics, and administrative policy intensely intersect. For Indian tech professionals and their US-based employers, the path forward involves navigating deeper vetting, preparing for potential delays, and adapting to a new calculus of cost and selection as they plan for 2026.
