NEW DELHI: Indian nationals received 72.3 percent of all H1B visas issued by the United States for the period October 2022 to September 2023, the central government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (February 6, 2025) citing the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services data.
Kirti Vardhan Singh, the Minister of State for External Affairs, said this in a response to a question in the Rajya Sabha. He also said that India and the US are working together on H-1B visa-related matters. Singh highlighted that the movement of skilled Indian workers benefits both countries, particularly in the tech and innovation industries.
Regarding Indian students in conflict zones, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar gave updates on those in Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine.
Before the conflict in Ukraine, there were 21,928 Indian students. As of November 1, 2024, only 1,802 remain in universities. Around 900 Indian students are in Israel, mainly studying STEM subjects. Following the attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, the Indian government helped 1,309 citizens return through 'Operation Ajay,' including 768 students. Most of these students have now returned to continue their studies.
External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar also confirmed that there are no Indian students in Palestine at present.
On the ceasefire in Gaza, Jaishankar shared that a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas was reached on January 15, 2025, and it began on January 19, 2025. India welcomed the ceasefire and hopes it will allow for safe humanitarian aid to Gaza. He also called for the release of all hostages and a return to peace talks.
Meanwhile, in another updates, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the registration period for H-1B visas for the fiscal year 2026 will start on March 7, 2025. This period will close on March 24, 2025. The H-1B visa is very popular among Indian IT professionals. It allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers in jobs that need special skills or knowledge.
The registration process will begin at 12.00 PM Eastern Time on March 7, which is 10:30 PM IST. It will end at 12:00 PM Eastern Time on March 24, 2025 (10:30 PM IST). During this time, people looking to apply for the visa must register online with USCIS. They also need to pay a $215 registration fee for each person they want to apply for.