Federal labour data, cited by multiple outlets, show divergent H-1B visa application trends across major US technology companies in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Companies including OpenAI, Anthropic and Nvidia file substantially more certified H-1B applications year-on-year, while several large peers reduce filings. Anthropic records the largest jump, with certified H-1B applications rising to 59 in the second quarter from 10 a year earlier. OpenAI increases from 20 to 63. Nvidia’s certified applications rise to 765 from 641. By contrast, Meta’s filings fall 3% year-on-year to 1,715, Microsoft’s drop 20% to 1,993, Amazon’s decline 30% to 4,241, and Google shows the steepest decrease, down 64% to 1,844.
The pattern reflects heightened competition for artificial intelligence talent, particularly highly specialized researchers, engineers and infrastructure experts. It also occurs alongside uncertainty and policy shifts affecting hiring decisions. Recent changes include a selection approach in the annual H-1B lottery that favors higher-paid applicants. A separate proposal to add a $100,000 fee for some H-1B applicants living overseas is blocked by a federal judge, according to the reports.
