The United States is overhauling its H-1B visa system, ending the traditional random lottery and introducing a weighted selection process that favors higher-paid, highly skilled foreign workers.
Starting February 2026, applicants with specialized roles and competitive salaries will have a better chance of securing a visa, signaling a shift toward rewarding expertise and protecting opportunities for U.S. workers.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the overhaul as part of a broader effort to ensure that the H1B program aligns more closely with its original intent: attracting highly skilled workers who complement the American workforce.
Under the new system, applications tied to positions requiring advanced expertise and offering competitive wages will carry greater weight in the selection process. Positions with lower wages are still eligible, but their chances of selection are expected to decrease significantly.
Some context on the annual lottery
For decades, the annual lottery has frustrated applicants and employers alike. Critics have argued that the system was vulnerable to exploitation, with some companies flooding the lottery with applications for lower-wage positions simply to increase their odds of approval.
“The random lottery had been exploited by companies looking to import lower-paid workers,” said Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The new weighted approach, he said, nudges the program back toward fairness while incentivizing employers to focus on genuine talent needs.
The overall cap on H1B visas remains unchanged: 65,000 visas under the regular quota, with an additional 20,000 for applicants holding advanced degrees from U.S. institutions. The key change lies in how visas are allocated. By weighting selections toward higher-paid, specialized roles, DHS aims to prioritize quality over quantity, ensuring that the program continues to meet U.S. labor market demands without displacing domestic workers.
When will the new policy take effect?
The regulation is scheduled to take effect on February 27, 2026, ahead of the fiscal year 2027 registration season, which typically opens in March for jobs starting October 1.
- The update is part of a broader policy shift, including recent measures requiring employers to pay an additional $100,000 per visa to qualify, signaling the administration’s expectation that H1B workers be highly valued and not used to depress wages.
For employers, the changes will likely mean more rigorous documentation, higher salaries, and clear demonstrations of specialized skill requirements.
For applicants, those in higher-wage, highly technical roles may see their chances improve. As the H1B system evolves, the U.S. government is signaling that it will continue to refine the program to balance foreign talent acquisition with protections for American workers, marking a significant departure from decades of lottery-driven selection.
