An immigration advocate of Indian-American descent has stated that the high number of Indians holding H-1B visas is not a matter of preference, but rather a consequence of deficiencies within the immigration system of the US, which complicates their path to permanent residency.
Sidharth, who is the founder of the Indian-American Advocacy Council, stated in a post on X that the prolonged waiting periods for Green Cards compel several Indians to stay in the H-1B program for extended durations. “It is not because Indians love being on temporary visas. It is because the Green Card system will not let them leave the temp visa program.” However, HT.com cannot independently verify the authenticity of Sidharth’s claim.
He further highlighted the manner in which the US distributes Green Cards, suggesting that people from India endure significantly longer waiting times compared to those from various other nations.
Indians are ‘not stuck’ on H-1B visas by choice, says immigration advocate
Stressing that India receives the same allocation as Iceland, he mentioned that in case of an Indian applicant, the wait time for an EB-2 Green Card may surpass 134 years, whereas for people from Pakistan and Somalia, it can be under two years.
He remarked that the system differentiates individuals with identical jobs, employers, and skills solely based on their country of origin.
Sidharth stated that Indians are not “stuck” on H‑1B visas by choice, but they are rather trapped by a system that “punished” demand from one country while granting Green Cards liberally to others.
Without citing any source or data, he emphasized the human consequences of the backlog, claiming that over 400,000 Indian applicants will pass away before they have the opportunity to obtain a Green Card. “400,000+ Indian applicants will die before they ever receive a Green Card.”
Two US State Universities temporarily bans new H-1B visas hiring
Public universities in Florida and Texas have received a temporary prohibition on the hiring of new international faculty and staff members who hold H-1B non-immigrant visas. There are concerns that this action may negatively impact research at higher education institutions within these states, and that similar bans could potentially be implemented nationwide.
On 2 March, the Florida Board of Governors, which is responsible for overseeing the public university system in the state, voted to suspend the hiring of new employees on H-1B visas until 5 January 2027. Florida is home to a dozen state universities that engage in research, with 10 of them classified as having “very high” (R1) or “high” (R2) research activity.
During this interim period, these public universities in Florida are permitted to maintain their employment contracts with current H-1B visa holders and are also allowed to renew these contracts. According to public estimates, Florida’s public universities employ over 1000 faculty and staff members on H-1B visas.
Less than two months ago, Texas became the first state to temporarily halt the hiring of new H-1B students at its public colleges. Governor Greg Abbott of Texas ordered on January 27 that the state’s public universities cease processing new H-1B petitions for foreign workers until May 31, 2027. There are 23 public research universities in Texas with an R1 or R2 accreditation, and it is believed that around 1500 faculty and staff members are H-1B visa holders.
The Trump administration’s recent adjustments have also made it simpler for public universities and governments to defend H-1B hiring freezes. For instance, President Donald Trump imposed a $100,000 (£74,000) H-1B fee in September 2025, making it unaffordable for several smaller state colleges to employ staff and instructors using H-1B visas.
