H-1B Visa Filing Update: Applications drop 23%; California developers dominate; Software developers most in-demand
The number of H-1B and other related work visa applications filed by US employers dropped sharply in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2026. The fiscal year 2026 began on October 1, 2025. According to the latest data released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), filing of H-1B work visa applications in the quarter ending December 2025 fell 23.1% compared to the same period last year.
Between October and December 2025 — the first quarter of FY2026 — employers filed 76,164 Labour Condition Applications (LCAs) for temporary specialty occupation workers under the H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 visa programmes. This marks a significant decline from FY2025 figures.
