WASHINGTON– The United States on Tuesday announced a major overhaul of the H-1B work visa selection process, replacing the long-standing random lottery with a weighted system intended to favor higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign workers.
The change, announced by the Department of Homeland Security, is aimed at protecting American workers’ wages and job opportunities while tightening oversight of the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program.
Officials said the previous lottery system had been vulnerable to abuse, with some employers submitting large numbers of lower-wage registrations that crowded out higher-value applications. Under the new rule, H-1B visas will no longer be issued through a purely random draw, a practice that has been in place for more than two decades.
Instead, visa registrations will be ranked through a weighted selection process that increases the likelihood that visas are awarded to foreign nationals with higher skill levels and compensation, while still allowing employers to submit petitions across all wage tiers.
The annual cap on H-1B visas will remain unchanged at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 visas reserved for applicants holding advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.
The new selection system will apply beginning with the fiscal year 2027 H-1B cap registration season, with the final rule scheduled to take effect on February 27.
Officials stressed that the reform does not eliminate access to the program for employers offering lower wages, but shifts the balance toward petitions that more closely reflect higher skills and pay.
The change is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape the H-1B program, which has long been a focal point of debate over immigration, labor policy, and the use of foreign talent in the U.S. economy.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations that typically require at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent expertise. It is widely used by the technology sector and plays a significant role for skilled professionals from countries such as India.
Supporters of the overhaul say a weighted system will restore credibility to the program by discouraging manipulation of the registration process, while critics warn that tighter rules could make it harder for U.S. companies to attract global talent. (Source: IANS)
