Washington, Dec 24: The United States government has announced a major overhaul of the H-1B work visa system, ending the traditional lottery and replacing it with a wage-weighted selection process.Under the new rules, starting from February 27, 2026, visa applications will be chosen based on higher pay and skill levels, giving priority to better-paid and more highly qualified applicants. The annual cap on visas will remain unchanged.
The move aims to curb misuse of the programme and better protect American workers.