India’s largest IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on January 10 said it is on track to hire 40,000 trainees this year and that it will onboard even more freshers next year. “It is a very positive trend, and I am planning to do more than 40,000 next year,” Milind Lakkad, TCS Chief HR Officer told CNBC-TV18.

The exclusive interaction comes a day after the TCS reported its results for the October to December 2024 quarter in which it saw a net reduction of 5,370 employees taking its total workforce strength to 607,354 in Q3, down from 612,724 at the end of the preceding quarter.

This is the first quarter of financial year 2024-25 in which TCS saw a net decline in headcount. In the first two quarters or the first half of the fiscal, its total headcount witnessed net addition of 11,178 employees.

Reflecting on the attrition rate that rose to 13% in Q3, up from 12.3% in the previous quarter, Lakkad said it is a minor change about which he is not much worried as it is within the company’s comfort band.

“Overall, I see a reduction in attrition in the coming quarters. LTM (last twelve months) numbers may show otherwise, because of the way it is calculated,” he explained.

Also Read: TCS shares jump 4% on optimistic management commentary; check latest price targets

Meanwhile, last week an analysis of US immigration department’s data showed that

Indian-origin tech companies made for a fifth of all H-1B visas issued by the US.

Infosys and TCS led the pack with 8,140 and 5,274 beneficiaries, respectively.

TCS CHRO, meanwhile, said the dependence on US visas has reduced over a period of time. “There are many things we are dealing with, this is not the one which is at the top of my mind because we have had a global operating model, global workforce. We have been hiring people across all locations.”

K Krithivasan, CEO and MD, TCS, added, “Our US visa dependency is not very significant. We have changed our model again, with more than 50% local workforce in the US.”

Also Read: TCS CEO K Krithivasan: CY25 could outperform CY24, signs of improved discretionary spending

The remarks come days ahead of the second inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20 following which his decision on visas will be keenly watched.

The H1B visa programme allows US companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. Indian companies have been significant beneficiaries of this programme, particularly in the technology sector.

India’s largest IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on January 10 said it is on track to hire 40,000 trainees this year and that it will onboard even more freshers next year. “It is a very positive trend, and I am planning to do more than 40,000 next year,” Milind Lakkad, TCS Chief HR Officer told CNBC-TV18.

The exclusive interaction comes a day after the TCS reported its results for the October to December 2024 quarter in which it saw a net reduction of 5,370 employees taking its total workforce strength to 607,354 in Q3, down from 612,724 at the end of the preceding quarter.

This is the first quarter of financial year 2024-25 in which TCS saw a net decline in headcount. In the first two quarters or the first half of the fiscal, its total headcount witnessed net addition of 11,178 employees.

Reflecting on the attrition rate that rose to 13% in Q3, up from 12.3% in the previous quarter, Lakkad said it is a minor change about which he is not much worried as it is within the company’s comfort band.

“Overall, I see a reduction in attrition in the coming quarters. LTM (last twelve months) numbers may show otherwise, because of the way it is calculated,” he explained.

Also Read: TCS shares jump 4% on optimistic management commentary; check latest price targets

Meanwhile, last week an analysis of US immigration department’s data showed that

Indian-origin tech companies made for a fifth of all H-1B visas issued by the US.

Infosys and TCS led the pack with 8,140 and 5,274 beneficiaries, respectively.

TCS CHRO, meanwhile, said the dependence on US visas has reduced over a period of time. “There are many things we are dealing with, this is not the one which is at the top of my mind because we have had a global operating model, global workforce. We have been hiring people across all locations.”

K Krithivasan, CEO and MD, TCS, added, “Our US visa dependency is not very significant. We have changed our model again, with more than 50% local workforce in the US.”

Also Read: TCS CEO K Krithivasan: CY25 could outperform CY24, signs of improved discretionary spending

The remarks come days ahead of the second inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20 following which his decision on visas will be keenly watched.

The H1B visa programme allows US companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. Indian companies have been significant beneficiaries of this programme, particularly in the technology sector.