![\"US](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130437428,imgsize-36744,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/us-visa-application.jpg\" "\\"<p>Representative")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nFor Indian tech and medical professionals, researchers and even global achievers eyeing to work in the US, the path is becoming increasingly uncertain. New data shows that even the most elite immigration routes, once seen as relatively stable, are now facing sharply higher rejection rates, signalling a broader tightening of legal migration pathways.The US has significantly increased denial rates for high-skilled immigration categories in fiscal 2025 (year ending Sept 30, 2025), reflecting a policy-driven shift to restrict legal migration even for highly qualified professionals according to a new analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).\u201cThe latest data show that Trump administration officials intend to make it difficult for even the most highly skilled individuals from around the world to work in the US,\u201d said Stuart Anderson, executive director of NFAP.A change of this magnitude indicates a crackdown on approvals, the analysis noted, pointing to a sharp rise in rejection rates despite no formal regulatory changes.<\/p>\n The steepest increases are in employment-based green card categories used by highly accomplished professionals. The increase in denials occurred within a single year, despite no new regulations indicating a shift in adjudication standards.<\/p>\n Over a longer period, the trend is even sharper: NIW denial rates rose from 4.3% in FY2022 to 44.8% in FY2025, states the report.<\/p>\n Denial rates have also increased across key temporary work visa categories, particularly toward the end of FY2025:<\/p>\nGreen card routes for top talent see sharpest rise<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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