The US government is preparing to make a major change to the H-1B visa process, which is crucial for skilled foreign professionals, especially from India. The White House has approved a proposal to remove the current lottery system and replace it with a salary-based selection process. This means applicants with higher-paying job offers will get priority for visa approvals.

Currently, the US issues 85,000 H-1B visas every year, selecting applicants through a computerized random lottery to ensure fairness. However, under the new plan, the lottery will be removed, and priority will be given to jobs offering the highest salaries. This is similar to a policy proposed during the Trump administration. On August 8, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs cleared the proposal, and an official announcement is expected soon.

If implemented, US tech companies will likely hire only highly skilled and highly paid foreign workers. Entry-level jobs may go mostly to local Americans, while foreign graduates from US universities and those starting with lower salaries could find it almost impossible to secure an H-1B visa. Since the visa cap remains unchanged, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and USCIS can enforce these changes without Congress approval. Immigration advocates and business groups have already opposed this policy, warning of a significant impact on H-1B hopefuls.