Governor Greg Abbott ordered Texas universities and state agencies on Tuesday (January 27, 2026) to halt new H-1B visa petitions, which are used by employers to hire foreign workers with specialized skills, until next year. The pause in the red state, which is home to thousands of H-1B visa holders, comes amid actions by the Mr. Trump administration aimed at reshaping the visa program. In Texas, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation — a multinational information technology company — has the most H-1B visas in the state with 3,172. As such, he ordered agencies and universities to provide information on the number of new or renewed H-1B visa petitions last year, visa holders currently sponsored, job titles, countries of origin and visa expiration dates. U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation last year imposing a $100,000 annual H-1B visa fee on highly skilled workers, which is being challenged in court.

Source: The Hindu January 28, 2026 01:44 UTC