India, June 23 -- US employers are still getting most H-1B petitions approved, but the climate around the visa program is getting tougher. New reporting from The American Bazaar says the overall H-1B approval rate remains close to 98%.

Immigration attorney Kevin J. Andrews told the outlet, "The H-1B approval rate for FY2025 is steady at about 98 per cent, but the operating environment for FY2026 looks materially harder. The friction has moved from adjudication to architecture."

Yet immigration lawyers and employers are warning that tougher compliance demands, higher costs and new lottery rules are making the process more complex for companies hiring foreign talent.

According to a USCIS-based H-1B employer report released in April, appr...