WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a major change to the H-1B work visa program, replacing the long-standing random lottery system with a weighted selection process designed to prioritize higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign workers.
Under the new rule, DHS will allocate H-1B visas based on a system that gives greater weight to applicants offered higher wages and possessing higher skill levels, a move the agency says will better protect American workers and curb abuse of the program. The regulation takes effect Feb. 27, 2026, and will apply to the FY 2027 H-1B cap registration season.
“The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by U.S. employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages than they would pay American workers,” said Matthew Tragesser, a spokesman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. “The new weighted selection will better serve Congress’ intent for the H-1B program and strengthen America’s competitiveness by incentivizing employers to petition for higher-paid, higher-skilled foreign workers.”
The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations, but annual visas are capped at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 reserved for workers holding advanced degrees from U.S. institutions. In recent years, demand has far exceeded supply, prompting criticism that the lottery system encouraged some employers to flood the registration process with lower-wage candidates.
DHS said the weighted system will increase the likelihood that visas are awarded to higher-paid and higher-skilled applicants, while still preserving access to the program across a range of wage levels. The agency characterized the change as a key step in restoring integrity to the program and ensuring it does not undercut U.S. wages or job opportunities.
The rule aligns with other recent H-1B reforms by the administration, including a presidential proclamation requiring employers to pay an additional $100,000 per visa as a condition of eligibility.
“As part of the Trump Administration’s commitment to H-1B reform, we will continue to demand more from both employers and aliens so as not to undercut American workers and to put America first,” Tragesser said.
Business groups and immigration advocates are expected to closely watch the implementation of the new selection process, which could significantly reshape hiring strategies for U.S. companies that rely on foreign talent in technology, engineering, healthcare, and other specialized fields.
