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Who Gets H-1B Visas? Check Out This List
Five of the top 10 were Indian outsourcers, but Microsoft is number three, IBM number eight, and Oracle USA number nine. The New York City Public School system ranks 22nd on the list.
20 Min Read
Criticism by federal legislators is mounting against Indian outsourcing firms that use the H-1B visa foreign worker program to staff their U.S. operations. Critics claim that the Indian firms skirt regulations and use the visas to train workers in the U.S. to facilitate moving jobs offshore.
A government list obtained by InformationWeek of the top 200 companies receiving H-1B visas for foreign workers last year reveals that five of the top 10 were Indian outsourcers. The complete list of 200, however, shows a mix of foreign companies, U.S. technology vendors, and American universities. Microsoft is number three on the list, IBM number eight, and Oracle USA number nine. The New York City Public School system ranks twenty-second on the list, with 642 H-1B visas received last year.
Earlier this week, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration, sent letters to the CEOs of nine Indian firms asking for details about how they use their H-1B visas. The companies, including Infosys, Satyam, Tata Consultancy Services, and Wipro, are among the top users of the visas.
Last year, the nine Indian firms collectively were issued 19,512 of the 65,000 H-1B visas granted, according to the list. (In addition to the 65,000 granted annually, the U.S. also issues H-1B visas to 20,000 foreign students who received advanced degrees from U.S. universities.)
As of press time, none of the nine Indian companies has responded to the Durbin-Grassley letters, according to a Durbin spokesman. However, a statement by the National Association of Software and Services Companies, an organization that represents Indian IT firms, defended the practice:
"The Indian IT industry and NASSCOM do not see this as an immigration-related issue but one related to international trade, and would urge that work permits and intra-company transfers should not be intermingled and confused with immigration. Work permits are primarily a tool for facilitating trade and allow global companies to bring key staff to the US on temporary assignments, just as US staff often travel across the world for temporary assignments and this is clearly different from immigration."
Although H-1B visas are most frequently used to employ foreign-born technology workers, it's important to note that the visas also are used to hire professionals in other occupations, including nurses and other health-care workers, university professors, lawyers, engineers, and architects.
The Top 200 H-1B Employers Of 2006(1 - 100)
Rank | Company | No. of visas |
|---|---|---|
1 | INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED | 4908 |
2 | WIPRO LIMITED | 4002 |
3 | MICROSOFT CORPORATION | 3117 |
4 | TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LIMITED | 3046 |
5 | SATYAM COMPUTER SERVICES LTD | 2880 |
6 | COGNIZANT TECH SOLUTIONS U S CORP | 2226 |
7 | PATNI COMPUTER SYSTEMS INC | 1391 |
8 | IBM CORPORATION | 1130 |
9 | ORACLE USA INC | 1022 |
10 | LARSEN & TOUBRO INFOTECH LIMITED | 947 |
11 | HCL AMERICA INC | 910 |
12 | DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP | 890 |
13 | CISCO SYSTEMS INC | 828 |
14 | INTEL CORP | 828 |
15 | I-FLEX SOLUTIONS INC | 817 |
16 | ERNST & YOUNG LLP | 774 |
17 | TECH MAHINDRA AMERICAS INC | 770 |
18 | MOTOROLA INC | 760 |
19 | MPHASIS CORPORATION | 751 |
20 | DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP | 665 |
21 | LANCESOFT INC | 645 |
22 | NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS | 642 |
23 | ACCENTURE LLP | 637 |
24 | JPMORGAN CHASE & CO | 632 |
25 | POLARIS SOFTWARE LAB INDIA LTD | 611 |
26 | COVANSYS CORPORATION | 611 |
27 | PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP | 591 |
28 | QUALCOMM INCORPORATED | 533 |
29 | GOLDMAN SACHS & CO | 529 |
30 | KPMG LLP | 476 |
31 | MARLABS INC | 475 |
32 | UNIV OF MICHIGAN | 437 |
33 | UNIV OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO | 434 |
34 | UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | 432 |
35 | THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV MED INSTS | 432 |
36 | SYNTEL CONSULTING INC | 416 |
37 | CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC | 413 |
38 | BEARINGPOINT INC | 413 |
39 | UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND | 404 |
40 | KEANE INC | 386 |
41 | HTC GLOBAL SERVICES INC | 382 |
42 | IGATE MASTECH INC AN IGATE COMPANY | 378 |
43 | HEXAWARE TECHNOLOGIES INC | 362 |
44 | CAPITAL ONE SERVICES INC | 362 |
45 | COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | 355 |
46 | LEHMAN BROTHERS INC | 352 |
47 | YAHOO INC | 347 |
48 | US TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES LLC | 339 |
49 | INTELLIGROUP INC | 336 |
50 | HEWLETT PACKARD CO | 333 |
51 | RAPIDIGM INC | 330 |
52 | MERRILL LYNCH & CO INC | 329 |
53 | GOOGLE INC | 328 |
54 | CITIBANK N A | 322 |
55 | DIS NATIONAL INSTS OF HEALTH DHHS | 322 |
56 | YALE UNIVERSITY | 316 |
57 | NOKIA INC | 314 |
58 | TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC | 313 |
59 | CAPGEMINI U S LLC | 309 |
60 | HARVARD UNIVERSITY | 308 |
61 | EMC CORPORATION | 305 |
62 | SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC | 303 |
63 | RITE AID CORPORATION | 301 |
64 | BLOOMBERG | 298 |
65 | GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY | 292 |
66 | AMGEN INC | 289 |
67 | MCKINSEY & COMPANY INC US | 286 |
68 | MORGAN STANLEY | 285 |
69 | STANFORD UNIVERSITY | 279 |
70 | WASHINGTON UNIV IN ST LOUIS | 278 |
71 | VERIZON DATA SVCS INC | 276 |
72 | NYC-HHC HARLEM HOSPITAL CENTER | 276 |
73 | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH | 275 |
74 | INDIANA UNIVERSITY | 273 |
75 | OHIO STATE UNIV | 271 |
76 | EVEREST CONSULTING GROUP INC | 269 |
77 | UNIV OF MINNESOTA | 269 |
78 | AMTEX SYSTEMS INC | 268 |
79 | UW MADISON | 268 |
80 | STATE UNIV OF NY AT STONY BROOK | 262 |
81 | AMAZON GLOBAL RESOURCES INC | 262 |
82 | CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION | 256 |
83 | DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT | 255 |
84 | UNIV OF CA DAVIS | 254 |
85 | NORTHWESTERN UNIV | 251 |
86 | SYNTEL INC | 250 |
87 | UNIV OF MISSOURI COLUMBIA | 247 |
88 | GLOBALCYNEX INC | 247 |
89 | KANBAY INCORPORATED | 246 |
90 | AMERICAN SOLUTIONS INC | 242 |
91 | UNIV OF FLORIDA INTL CENTER | 240 |
92 | UCLA | 239 |
93 | DUKE UNIV UNIV MED CTR & AFFIL INS | 238 |
94 | MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER | 236 |
95 | BANK OF AMERICA N A | 236 |
96 | SOFTWARE RESEARCH GROUP INC | 234 |
97 | BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | 234 |
98 | MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | 232 |
99 | CIBER INC | 232 |
100 | VERINON TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS LTD | 230 |
Continue on to the 2nd half of the list (101 - 200)
The Top 200 H-1B Employers Of 2006(101 - 200)
Rank | Company | No. of visas |
|---|---|---|
101 | EVEREST BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INC | 226 |
102 | VOLT TECHNICAL RESOURCES LLC | 224 |
103 | OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY | 223 |
104 | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP INC | 222 |
105 | US TECH SOLUTIONS INC | 221 |
106 | SYMANTEC CORP | 220 |
107 | JSMN INTERNATIONAL INC | 218 |
108 | UBS AG | 216 |
109 | CVS PHARMACY | 213 |
110 | THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | 213 |
111 | UNIV OF WASHINGTON | 213 |
112 | NORTEL NETWORKS INC | 212 |
113 | UNIV OF CA SAN FRANCISCO | 211 |
114 | UNIVERSITY OF MA MEDICAL SCHOOL | 210 |
115 | SPRINT UNITED MANAGEMENT COMPANY | 209 |
116 | HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRIC | 209 |
117 | PURDUE UNIV | 208 |
118 | GLOBAL CONSULTANTS INC | 207 |
119 | EMORY UNIVERSITY | 207 |
120 | UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER | 207 |
121 | UNIV OF COLORADO | 207 |
122 | VANDERBILT UNIV | 205 |
123 | OBJECTWIN TECHNOLOGY INC | 205 |
124 | DIASPARK INC | 204 |
125 | HSBC BANK USA N A | 203 |
126 | EBUSINESS APPLICATION SOLUTIONS | 203 |
127 | BROADCOM CORP | 203 |
128 | PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY PUBLIC SCHS | 203 |
129 | MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC | 202 |
130 | COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS INC | 198 |
131 | TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | 198 |
132 | APPLIED MATERIALS INC | 195 |
133 | SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORP | 194 |
134 | UNIV OF IOWA | 194 |
135 | IBM GLOBAL SVCS IGS INDIA PVT LTD | 194 |
136 | DELOITTE TAX LLP | 194 |
137 | CUMMINS INC | 193 |
138 | ITECH US INC | 191 |
139 | COMPUWARE CORPORATION | 189 |
140 | INTL STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS OFFICE | 186 |
141 | UNIVERSITY OF CA SAN DIEGO | 185 |
142 | WALGREEN CO | 184 |
143 | HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE | 184 |
144 | USC | 183 |
145 | VISION SYSTEMS GROUP INC | 182 |
146 | T MOBILE USA INC | 180 |
147 | MULTIVISION INC | 178 |
148 | EDS ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEMS | 177 |
149 | MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECH | 175 |
150 | CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | 174 |
151 | CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV | 173 |
152 | UNC CHAPEL HILL | 173 |
153 | THE UNIV OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM | 172 |
154 | DEUTSCHE BANK AG | 170 |
155 | CATERPILLAR INC | 170 |
156 | HALLMARK GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INC | 169 |
157 | CYBERTHINK INC | 169 |
158 | CORPORATE COMPUTER SERVICES INC | 167 |
159 | ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC | 167 |
160 | MEGASOFT CONSULTANTS INC | 166 |
161 | ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS INC | 165 |
162 | FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC | 163 |
163 | UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER AT | 163 |
164 | FIRST TEK TECHNOLOGIES INC | 161 |
165 | MICHIGAN STATE UNIV | 161 |
166 | RESEARCH FDN OF THE STATE UNIV OF | 160 |
167 | COMSYS SERVICES LLC | 160 |
168 | VIRGINIA TECH | 160 |
169 | JUNIPER NETWORKS INC | 160 |
170 | THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | 158 |
171 | IOWA STATE UNIV | 157 |
172 | UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | 157 |
173 | FEDEX CORPORATE SVCS INC | 157 |
174 | CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON LLC | 156 |
175 | BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB COMPANY | 156 |
176 | VERIZON SERVICES CORP | 156 |
177 | EBAY INC | 155 |
178 | AJILON LLC D B A AJILON CONSULTING | 154 |
179 | GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION | 153 |
180 | CAMO TECHNOLOGIES INC | 152 |
181 | MARVELL SEMICONDUCTOR INC | 151 |
182 | CMC AMERICAS INC | 150 |
183 | THE UNIV OF TEXAS M D ANDERSON CAN | 149 |
184 | NVIDIA CORPORATION | 149 |
185 | AT&T SERVICES INC | 147 |
186 | WEILL MED COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIV | 146 |
187 | AXIOM SYSTEMS INC | 146 |
188 | WAYNE STATE UNIV | 146 |
189 | MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER | 146 |
190 | NC STATE UNIV | 146 |
191 | GENENTECH INC | 146 |
192 | MAKRO TECHNOLOGIES INC | 145 |
193 | SVAM INTERNATIONAL INC | 144 |
194 | MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER | 143 |
195 | NUTECH INFORMATION SYSTEMS | 143 |
196 | XPEDITE TECHNOLOGIES INC | 143 |
197 | AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING INC | 143 |
198 | LOUISIANA STATE UNIV | 142 |
199 | FANNIE MAE | 141 |
200 | MINDTREE CONSULTING PVT LTD | 141 |
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