US green card approvals drop 35%, Indians hit hardest

US green card approvals witnessed a 35% drop and Indians are the hardest hit, as reported by Economic Times. The approval rate for EB-1A green cards, the US route for extraordinary-skilled workers has dropped sharply in FY26, with Indians facing the steepest impact. As reported by ET, the data from Boundless Immigration, based on USCIS fillings, show approvals for Indians fell to 35% in the first two quarters of FY26, down from 49.1% in FY25.Most decline is among Indian technology workers* FY25: Indians filed 14,250 petitions; 6,993 approved, 1,474 denied.* FY26 (first two quarters): Indians filed 7,316 petitions; 2,571 approved, 1,131 denied.Immigration experts say the decline is most pronounced among Indian technology workers, followed by Chinese applicants, who file the largest EB‑1A volumes.Tighter US immigration policiesThe drop comes amid tighter US immigration policies under the Trump administration. Joel Yanovich, Senior Attorney at Ganey Law Group, said adjudicators are demanding an “unreasonably high bar,” despite no change in law. “The spike in denials is not due to a drop in the calibre of applicants,” he noted.Boundless CEO Xiao Wang added that meeting three of the ten USCIS criteria is no longer sufficient. Strong evidence in categories such as leading roles in distinguished organizations and commanding high salaries is now considered baseline, with one additional high‑quality criterion required.Alternatives and shiftsWith EB‑2 and EB‑3 backlogs stretching up to 15 years, Indian nationals are exploring alternatives:* EB‑1C: Working abroad for a year as a manager/executive.* EB‑5: Investment‑based route, seeing a surge in Indian applicants.* Relocation to Canada or the UK, where talent visas are more accessible.Immigration attorney Rajiv Khanna said adjudications have become “extremely difficult,” despite courts questioning the methodology. Experts warn that unless policy shifts, extraordinary‑skilled workers — especially Indians — will continue to face hurdles in securing permanent residence in the US.Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.