As the debate over skilled immigration intensifies in Texas, new data is adding a fresh layer to the conversation.
A report by the Dallas Express has identified two Indian IT giants: Cognizant and Infosys, as the largest employers of H-1B visa holders in the state since 2020.
Citing data covering the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2025, the publication said Cognizant hired 50,666 H-1B workers in Texas during that time frame. Infosys followed closely with 45,323 hires. Both companies were well ahead of other employers featured in the top 25 list.
In third place was Oracle America Inc with 11,603 H-1B hires, trailed by Tesla at 5,307 and KPMG LLP with 2,677.
The list was not limited to private sector firms. Public institutions also featured prominently. Texas A&M University recorded 1,087 H-1B hires during the same period, while UT Southwestern Medical Center reported 1,379. The University of Texas at Austin accounted for 893 hires, and the Dallas Independent School District had 1,290.
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The findings come at a time when Texas officials have sharpened their rhetoric around the H-1B visa program, arguing that it undercuts opportunities for American workers. Supporters of the visa category, however, contend that companies use it to fill specialized roles in technology, healthcare, and research that are difficult to staff locally.
Sharing the figures, The Times of India published the full list of the top 25 H-1B employers in Texas between 2020 and 2025. Cognizant Technology Solutions led the tally with 50,666 hires, followed by Infosys Limited at 45,323 and Oracle America Inc at 11,603.
Other major employers included Tesla Inc (5,307), KPMG LLP (2,677), Charles Schwab & Company Inc (2,361), NTT Data (2,343), and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (2,212).
The list also featured AT&T Services Inc (2,084), American Airlines Inc (1,672), EMC Corporation (1,536), Dell USA L P (1,461), UT Southwestern Medical Center (1,379), Dallas Independent School District (1,290), Dell Products L P (1,136), Texas A&M University (1,087), Texas Instruments Incorporated (1,040), Indeed Inc (1,033), Siemens Industry Software Inc (1,025), Ericsson Inc (1,013), Baylor College of Medicine (898), The University of Texas at Austin (893), NXP USA Inc (885), Photon Infotech Inc (884), and Samsung Austin Semiconductor LLC (876).
The release of the data comes amid a sharp policy turn in Texas.
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Days earlier, Governor Greg Abbott announced a one-year pause on hiring H-1B workers across state agencies and public universities, escalating the state’s scrutiny of the visa program.
Soon after, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his office had opened an inquiry into three Indian-origin firms that had previously hired H-1B employees, seeking detailed information about the workers and the nature of the services they provide.
The visa debate gathered further momentum after journalist Sara Gonzales posted about what she described as potential misuse of the program. She claimed that when she visited the registered address of an H-1B sponsoring company, she found a residential property with no visible office setup or employees, fueling fresh allegations of abuse and adding to the growing political storm around skilled immigration in the state.
With Texas positioning itself as a major tech and business hub, the data underscores how deeply global talent remains woven into the state’s corporate and academic workforce even as the political fight over skilled immigration shows no signs of cooling.