Texas Freezes New H-1B Visa Petitions

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has told all state agencies and universities to stop accepting new H-1B visa petitions.

This visa program lets American companies hire workers from other countries.

The governor wants to make sure that jobs in Texas are given to Texans first.

He also wants to check how the H-1B visa program is being used right now.

The governor says that some companies have been using the program in a way that hurts American workers.

He has also invested a lot of money in education and job training in Texas to make sure that Texans have the skills they need to get good jobs.

The freeze on new H-1B visas will last until May 31, 2027, and all agencies and universities have to report on their current use of the program by March 27, 2026.

This decision matters a lot for Indians, as they form the largest group of H-1B visa holders in the United States.

Texas is one of the most important states for Indian professionals working in IT, engineering, healthcare, research, and universities.

With this freeze, new hiring of foreign workers in these institutions may stop for the next one and a half years.

Indian students studying in Texas may also feel the impact, as those planning to move from student visas to H-1B jobs in state universities or government institutions could face fewer job options.

The good news is that this rule does not affect private companies, so Indian professionals working in private IT firms, startups, and businesses in Texas can still apply for H-1B visas normally.