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Trump's H-1B Visa Fee Hike Threatens IT Giants: Wipro & Infosys CEOs Speak Out

Published 8 hours ago3 minute read
David Isong
David Isong
Trump's H-1B Visa Fee Hike Threatens IT Giants: Wipro & Infosys CEOs Speak Out

On Thursday, October 16, both Infosys and Wipro, two of India's leading IT services firms, addressed the recent H-1B visa fee hike announced by the Donald Trump administration, outlining their strategies to mitigate potential impacts and sharing their latest quarterly financial results.

Infosys Chief Executive Officer Salil Parekh stated that the company anticipates no significant impact from the H-1B visa fee increase. He explained that a 'majority' of Infosys's US-based workforce does not require visa sponsorship, with only a 'minority' needing such support. While specific numbers were not disclosed, Parekh emphasized Infosys's proactive approach to localization. The company has established numerous centers and hubs in the US focusing on digital, innovation, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). Additionally, Infosys has forged relationships with universities and set up training facilities to ensure seamless service delivery to clients without disruption, focusing on near-shore operations, local hiring, and overall localization.

Similarly, Wipro, India's fourth-largest IT services firm, reported that the changes to the H-1B program would have a 'minor business impact' due to its long-standing localization strategy. Saurabh Govil, Wipro's Chief Human Resources Officer, highlighted that nearly 80% of their US employee base comprises local hires. This purposeful approach, adopted over several years, provides the company with ample avenues to manage the evolving H-1B landscape. The Trump administration's proclamation significantly raised H-1B visa fees to $100,000, a move that sent ripples through the tech industry.

Both companies also provided updates on their hiring initiatives. Infosys is on track with its hiring guidance for the fiscal year 2025-26, aiming to onboard 20,000 freshers. In the first half of the year, over 12,000 freshers have already been hired, with a net addition of 8,000 employees in the recent quarter. Wipro, too, continued its recruitment efforts, onboarding 2,900 freshers in the September quarter despite lower attrition and improved utilization rates. The company plans to continue campus recruitment in Q3 FY25-26 based on demand. Wipro's voluntary employee attrition rate decreased to 14.9% in September 2025 from 15.1% in the previous quarter, though its total headcount saw a net decline of 2,260 employees during the quarter, standing at 235,492 as of September 30, 2025. Wipro also noted that no decision has been finalized regarding wage hikes.

In terms of financial performance for the July-September quarter, Infosys reported a consolidated net profit of ₹7,364 crore for Q2 FY2025-26, marking a 13.2% year-on-year rise from ₹6,506 crore in the same period last year. Consolidated revenues grew by 8.6% year-on-year to ₹44,490 crore, up from ₹40,986 crore. Despite global environmental uncertainties, particularly concerning inflation and job creation constraints in some markets, Infosys observed healthy growth within its financial services client sector. Wipro, for its Q2 FY2026, reported revenue of ₹22,697 crore, reflecting a 1.8% year-on-year growth from ₹22,302 crore. This revenue growth was primarily driven by stable performance in the European market and the successful initiation of several large deals.

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