H-1B Visa: The H-1B Visa Program of the United States government will go for a major reform, reshaping the prospects of thousands of Indian professionals in the country.
US President Donald Trump has decided to replace the existing random lottery system with a weighted selection model to prioritize higher-paid and higher-skilled applicants.
When Will The New H-1B Visa Rule Takes Effect?
The rule, which would take effect on February 27, 2026, will apply to the FY 2027 H-1B cap registration season.
What Does This Mean For Potential Employees At Other Wage Levels?
US Visas will still be available to individuals across all wage levels. However, the probability of selection will increase considerably for employers filing petitions for better-paid and more specialized foreign workers.
Why The Indian Community Will Be The Hardest Hit?
Members of the Indian community form the backbone of the H-1B program. It accounts for more than 70 percent of all visas issued annually. Presently, an estimated 300,000 Indian professionals who are largely in engineering, services and technology work in the United States on H-1B visas.
Entry-level professionals, mid-career engineers and those sponsored by staffing consultancies or smaller firms could see their H-1B visa chances shrink as wage levels become the all-important factor in selection.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said the existing random selection process was exploited and abused by US employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages. Tragesser added the new weighted model would protect the wages and job opportunities as well as the intent of the US Congress.
US Judge Refuses To Scrap Additional H-1B Visa Fee
A United States judge has upheld the move by Trump administration to proceed ahead with the proposal by Donald Trump to impose an additional fee of $100,000 on new H-1B visas. A lawsuit filed by the Chamber of Commerce was rejected by US District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington DC.
