The United States has introduced a yet another significant change to its H-1B visa selection process, replacing its long-standing random lottery system with the new wage-based selection model. This new system will now prioritize applicants based on salary levels rather than a random lottery which is expected to favor more experienced professionals and refine the selection process.
As per reports, this change will take effect from April 1, 2026, when a newly structured system for Form I-129 will become mandatory. Form I-129 is used by employers to petition for foreign workers seeking temporary employment in the United States.
Under this revised process, companies will be required to provide detailed job-specific information when filing petitions for foreign employees. Under this new framework the applicants will be classified into four wage levels determined by the U.S. Department of Labor, which sets standard wages for each profession and location.
The new selection process will now be tied to these four wage levels, where applicants falling under Level 4, the highest wage category would four opportunities in the selection process whereas, the ones falling under Level 1 would get only one opportunity.
Officials say that the revised system is designed to prioritize skilled and higher-paid professionals, potentially increasing their chances of obtaining an H-1B visa compared to the previous lottery-based system.