If you have a son, daughter, or sibling on H-1B in the US - read this twice.
Last week, Rep. Eli Crane and 7 other Republicans introduced the "End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026" in the US Congress.
What it proposes:
→ 3-year complete PAUSE on new H-1B visas
→ Annual cap cut from 65,000 to 25,000
→ Minimum salary of $200,000 - yes, two lakh dollars a year
→ Lottery scrapped - only the highest-paid get visas
→ OPT (post-study work for students) ended
→ No spouses, no kids allowed
→ No path to a green card
The impact on Indians:
80% of H-1B visas go to Indians. About 4 lakh Indians work in the US on H-1B today. Most earn $90K–$130K - well below the $200K floor.
If this becomes law:
→ 70% of current Indian H-1B holders won't qualify on salary alone
→ TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL - the onsite-offshore model breaks
→ Indian engineering students lose OPT, the easiest US-job route after college → An entire generation of Indian engineers can't move to America for 3 years
But here's the truth:
This is still only a proposal. Similar bills in 2024 and 2025 died in committee. This one likely will too.
What it DOES signal - the political wind in DC is firmly against H-1B. Even if this bill dies, the next one will be tougher.
The real takeaway:
If your career plan rests on the American Dream alone, build a Plan B today. AI skills, product roles, India-built equity - none of these need a visa.
The lottery isn't the only ticket anymore.