Trump admin overhauls H-1B visa selection, ends random lottery system

New York/Washington: The Trump administration has announced a major overhaul of the H-1B work visa programme, replacing the long-standing random lottery system with a new selection process designed to favour higher-skilled and higher-paid applicants. The move marks another step in a broader tightening of immigration rules, covering both legal and illegal pathways, with potential implications for thousands of foreign professionals, including large numbers from India who make up one of the biggest groups of H-1B visa holders in the United States.

In a statement issued recently, the Department of Homeland Security said it is amending regulations governing how H-1B visas are allocated. The revised framework will prioritise applicants based on skill level and salary, with the stated aim of protecting wages, working conditions and employment opportunities for American workers.

According to the department, the new rule will take effect on February 27, 2026, and will apply to the financial year 2027 H-1B cap registration season. Once implemented, it will end the use of a purely random lottery for selecting visa recipients, instead introducing a weighted system that gives preference to those deemed more highly skilled or better paid.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services said the existing lottery system had been repeatedly criticised for being vulnerable to misuse. Officials argue that some employers exploited the process by submitting large numbers of registrations to bring in lower-paid foreign workers.

“The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by US employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages than they would pay American workers,” USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser said.

He added that the revised approach is intended to align more closely with the original purpose of the programme. “The new weighted selection will better serve Congress’ intent for the H-1B programme and strengthen America’s competitiveness by incentivising American employers to petition for higher-paid, higher-skilled foreign workers,” Tragesser said. He also noted that further regulatory changes are expected as part of ongoing efforts to update the programme while preventing practices that officials say have harmed US workers.

The annual H-1B visa cap remains unchanged. Each year, 65,000 visas are issued under the regular quota, with an additional 20,000 reserved for applicants who hold advanced degrees from US institutions. Under the new system, USCIS said, employers will still be able to hire foreign workers across all wage levels, but higher-paid and higher-skilled applicants will have a better chance of selection.

The administration has framed the change as part of a wider campaign to strengthen the integrity of the H-1B programme. USCIS said the weighted selection rule follows earlier measures, including a presidential proclamation that requires 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.

During the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term in office, several initiatives have been introduced to curb what officials describe as abuse of the programme. In addition to the new fee on H-1B applications, the US Department of State has expanded screening and vetting procedures.

From December 15, the State Department began enhanced checks for H-1B and dependent H-4 visa applicants, including reviews of social media profiles. The tighter scrutiny has already had practical effects. Several H-1B visa interviews scheduled across India have been postponed by months, leaving some visa holders who travelled for stamping appointments stranded.

The State Department has reiterated that a US visa is a privilege rather than a right. It said all available information is used during screening and vetting to identify applicants who may be inadmissible, including those considered a potential risk to national security or public safety.