H-1B lottery registrations by three of the largest Indian IT employers fell sharply for fiscal year 2027, according to USCIS data cited in a Congressional Research Service report, "H-1B Executive Actions in 2026," published October 14 and reported on October 19.
Infosys submitted 759 registrations, down from 8,886 the previous year — a drop of about 91%. Tata Consultancy Services submitted 284, down from 5,955, and Cognizant recorded no registrations, compared with 3,752 the year before. A Federal Register publication in September reported a similar pattern across the largest IT staffing and outsourcing firms combined.
The decline followed two changes: a wage-weighted selection system, used for the FY2027 lottery, that favors higher-paid workers, and a $100,000 fee that applies to certain new H-1B workers entering the United States from abroad.
Why it matters
For Malayalee IT professionals and students hoping a large Indian IT firm will sponsor them, there were far fewer fresh lottery entries from those firms this cycle. These figures cover lottery registrations only — not a company's total H-1B workforce — and they do not mean current visa holders have lost their status. Anyone weighing a job move should confirm sponsorship plans directly with the employer.
