Archive · 10 Oct 2026
Goyal Says Fewer H-1B Visas Could Benefit India
Piyush Goyal, India's Commerce Minister, said fewer H-1B visas could be good for India.
He thinks more skilled people might stay in India and build businesses or do research there.
He said he has not raised H-1B visas or green cards with US officials.
The United States has also stopped processing some companies' applications for a work-related step toward a green card.
The companies named include Infosys, Tata, Wipro, Microsoft and Adobe.
This stop does not directly cancel existing H-1B visas, but it can make it harder for affected workers to seek permanent residency through their employers.
The US Labor Department said its action involving Microsoft and Adobe was connected to active federal investigations.
Whether fewer people leaving would help India depends partly on whether good jobs and research opportunities are available there.
Piyush Goyal said fewer H-1B visas could help India's economy retain skilled professionals.
He said he had never raised H-1B visas or green cards with US officials during his 7.5 years as Commerce Minister.
Goyal said India had lost some of its best talent to the United States over the past 25 to 30 years.
The US Department of Labor suspended new and pending PERM applications involving several companies, including Infosys, Tata, Wipro, Microsoft and Adobe.
The article says the PERM suspension affects a step toward employer-sponsored green cards, not the direct cancellation of existing H-1B visas.
- Who
- Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal; the US Department of Labor and affected companies are also involved.
- What
- Goyal said fewer H-1B visas could benefit India's economy and said he had never raised H-1B visas or green cards with US officials. Separately, the US suspended PERM processing for several companies.
- When
- Goyal's remarks were reported on October 10, 2026; the article says the US suspension was announced earlier that week.
- Where
- Goyal made the remarks in India; the PERM suspension concerns US employment-based green-card processing.
- Why
- Goyal argued that retaining skilled professionals could benefit India, which he said had lost talent to the US. The US Department of Labor cited multiple active federal investigations involving Microsoft and Adobe.
Potential benefits for India
Potential challenges
Effect of fewer H-1B visas
Potential benefits for India
Piyush Goyal said fewer H-1B visas could help India retain skilled professionals, entrepreneurs and researchers.
Potential challenges
The article notes that the benefit depends on suitable jobs, research facilities and business opportunities being available in India.
Immigration regulation
Potential benefits for India
Goyal said immigration and trade are separate matters and that every country has the right to regulate foreign nationals' entry.
Potential challenges
The US suspensions prevent affected companies from filing new PERM applications or having pending applications processed, potentially making employer-sponsored permanent residency harder for workers.
- Minister
- Piyush Goyal, India's Union Commerce and Industry Minister
- Remarks reported
- October 10, 2026
- Visa program discussed
- H-1B visas for skilled foreign professionals
- US program suspended
- Permanent Labor Certification, commonly known as PERM
- Companies named
- Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini, Microsoft and Adobe
- Suspension announced by
- US Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling
- H-1B fee mentioned
- A one-time $100,000 fee for certain new petitions was introduced in September 2025 and extended until September 21, 2027