US to roll out new H-1B visa selection system from April 1, prioritising high wage applicants

In a significant shift to its immigration framework, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced sweeping changes to the H-1B visa selection process, with a new system set to begin on April 1, 2026, ahead of the FY 2027 registration cycle.

The new rule replaces the existing random lottery system with a weighted selection model that will favour higher-skilled and higher-paid applicants, while still allowing participation across all wage levels.

The changes will apply to all H-1B registrations submitted on or after April 1, including those under the advanced degree exemption category.

What changes for H-1B applicants?

Under the revised system, applications will be assigned weight based on the offered salary level. Candidates in the highest wage bracket (Level IV) will effectively get four chances in the selection pool, while those in Level III, II, and I will receive three, two, and one entry respectively.

Despite multiple entries, each applicant will still be counted only once towards the annual visa cap.

Need for amendment

The move aims to align the H-1B programme more closely with its original objective of attracting highly skilled foreign workers, while addressing long-standing concerns about misuse of the system to hire lower-paid immigrants.

The ‘Final Rule’ on Federal Register by DHS said that the earlier random selection process, used during periods of high demand, did not adequately prioritise skill or wage levels. The new framework is expected to incentivise employers to offer higher salaries and recruit for more specialised roles.

At the same time, DHS has clarified that the revised system will not completely exclude entry-level or lower-wage applicants, unlike a previous proposal that was eventually scrapped.

For US workers

According to DHS, the updated selection process is also in line with recent policy directions aimed at protecting domestic workers and ensuring fair wages, while maintaining the US’s competitiveness in attracting global talent.

With demand for H-1B visas consistently exceeding supply for over a decade, authorities expect the new system to bring more structure and intent to the allocation process.

US H-1B visa programme

The H-1B visa programme, widely used by US companies to hire foreign professionals in specialised fields such as technology, engineering, healthcare and finance, currently has an annual cap of 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 reserved for applicants holding advanced degrees from US institutions.

The registration fee for each H-1B application has been set at $215.