Microsoft PULLS Its Visa Engineers Out of America - H-1B Filings CRASH 38%, Britain Hires Them

America’s H-1B pipeline is shrinking at a remarkable pace. Properly submitted registrations for fiscal year 2027 fell from 343,981 to 211,600, a 38.5% decline, while Washington continues tightening scrutiny around skilled-worker immigration. At the same time, a proposed DHS rule would eliminate the discretionary 60-day grace period that many H-1B and other employment-based visa holders can use after losing a job. Employers are already adapting. Envoy Global’s 2026 survey of more than 500 U.S. HR and mobility professionals found that 61% reported relocating employees outside the United States because of visa barriers, while 68% expected to use more nearshoring or offshoring. The shift suggests that companies still seeking specialized engineers, researchers and other skilled workers may increasingly place both people and work in overseas offices rather than depend entirely on the U.S. immigration system. The larger question is what happens when temporary workarounds become permanent infrastructure. The administration argues that tougher H-1B rules protect American wages and employment, while employers are responding to immigration uncertainty by changing where jobs are located. With the disputed $100,000 H-1B fee blocked by federal courts and further restrictions still moving through the regulatory system, the fight is no longer only about who receives a visa. It is increasingly about where high-value technical work, investment and future companies will be based.