Beyond the 70% headline: H-1B workers becoming more educated, better paid

Representative imageOf the H-1B petitions approved in fiscal 2025 (fiscal ended Sept 30), nearly 70 percent were for beneficiaries whose country of birth was India. The second most common country of birth was China, accounting for approximately 12 percent of all beneficiaries.Top source countries for H-1B visas (including extensions)1 India 2,83,772 69.9% 2 China 49,161 12.1% 3 Philippines 5,546 1.4% 4 Canada 4,382 1.1% 5 South Korea 4,195 1.0% 6 Mexico 3,390 0.8% Global total 4,06,348 However, the latest US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) annual report on H-1B specialty occupation workers offers a far richer picture than the now-familiar headline that Indians account for roughly seven out of every ten H-1B approvals.The fiscal 2025 report, which was released this spring, show