Big Tech Bets Bigger on India as H-1B Curbs Reshape Global Hiring
As the United States tightens its H-1B visa framework, the world’s largest technology companies are accelerating hiring in India, reinforcing the country’s growing role as a global technology and innovation hub. In 2025, Meta, Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Netflix — collectively known as FAAMNG — added over 32,000 new employees in India, marking a sharp shift in global talent strategy.
The hiring surge represents an 18 percent year-on-year increase in headcount addition and takes the combined India workforce of these companies to 214,000, according to data from specialist staffing firm Xpheno. The expansion comes at a time when visa curbs, rising talent costs in the US and growing AI investments are forcing companies to rethink where and how they build future capabilities.
“The net headcount growth of the cohort for 2025 is the highest over the last three-year period,” said Kamal Karanth, co-founder of Xpheno, highlighting India’s rising importance in Big Tech’s long-term plans.
Targeted Hiring Reflects Shift Toward High-Value Digital Skills
Despite the large headcount addition, hiring remains selective and focused on specialised roles rather than broad-based recruitment. According to Xpheno and TeamLease Digital, FAAMNG companies currently have 3,000 to 5,000 active job openings in India.
Neeti Sharma, CEO of TeamLease Digital, said that demand is heavily skewed toward future-ready capabilities.
Key roles seeing the strongest demand include:
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AI and machine learning operations
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Data engineering and analytics
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Cloud infrastructure and platform engineering
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Cybersecurity and governance roles
“Demand is majorly concentrated on high-value, specialised tech skills rather than legacy support functions, reflecting strategic shifts toward innovation and emerging tech adoption,” Sharma said. She added that demand for such roles has risen 25–30 percent, even as overall net headcount growth remains cautious.
Karanth noted that while AI is reshaping hiring, its full impact is yet to be seen. “Companies are hiring more for adjacent skill sets that expand AI capabilities rather than direct AI roles. The real AI-led hiring shift will become evident over the next two to three years,” he said.
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H-1B Rule Changes Push Companies to Re-evaluate Talent Models
The hiring momentum in India coincides with significant changes to the US H-1B visa regime in 2025. The Donald Trump administration introduced a $100,000 fee on new visa applications and shifted to a weighted lottery system favouring higher-paid, higher-skilled professionals.
Given that 70–75 percent of H-1B visas historically go to Indian nationals, the changes have had wide-ranging implications for American tech firms.
“Developments related to potential tariffs on services, increased talent costs due to H-1B fee revisions, and the probable impact of the HIRE Act have influenced Big Tech to relook at India-centric talent strategies,” Karanth said.
He added that hiring locally in India offers a compelling cost and skill advantage. “The skill and cost arbitrage that India offers through local talent engagement is far more attractive compared to local talent costs in the US,” he said.
Massive Investments Signal Long-Term Commitment to India
Hiring growth is being reinforced by record-breaking capital investments across India’s technology ecosystem.
In recent months:
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Google announced a $15-billion investment to build a large AI hub in Visakhapatnam, expected to generate over 100,000 jobs in five years
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Microsoft committed $17.5 billion toward cloud and AI infrastructure and digital skilling
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Amazon pledged $35 billion in investments over five years, targeting one million additional jobs by 2030
In addition, OpenAI confirmed plans to open its first India office in New Delhi, while Apple, Meta and Microsoft expanded office footprints in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
“These are the largest India investments announced by global tech companies till date,” industry observers noted, underscoring India’s strategic role beyond cost arbitrage.
What 2026 Could Look Like for Big Tech Hiring
Industry experts expect the impact of H-1B curbs to spill over into 2026 hiring trends, even though immediate disruptions remain limited.
“A negotiated H-1B regime could restart expat hiring, but overseas locations like India will remain competitive on a dollar-and-cent basis,” Karanth said.
TeamLease’s Sharma expects Big Tech hiring in India to grow 16–20 percent in 2026, even as conventional IT hiring slows to low single digits.
However, she cautioned that hiring will become increasingly selective. “Headcount strategies will revolve around reshaping delivery models, reducing onsite dependency, and deepening India-based ownership of global platforms,” she said.
India’s Role Grows Even as Global Hiring Stays Cautious
Despite global layoffs and productivity gains driven by AI, India continues to attract Big Tech investment, jobs and innovation mandates. The country’s deep talent pool, expanding digital infrastructure and cost advantages are positioning it as a central pillar of global technology delivery.
The broader takeaway is clear: even in an era of cautious global hiring, India remains a net winner in Big Tech’s evolving workforce strategy, with hiring increasingly aligned to innovation, AI and long-term capability building rather than short-term cost cutting.
