‘Trump has effectively banned Indians’: H-1B techies react to new wage-based system
The US H1B visa system is set for a major overhaul, shifting from a lottery to a wage-based selection process. This change could significantly impact Indian professionals, particularly entry-level workers in tech, as higher salaries will now increase visa selection chances.
financialexpress.com
The US H-1B visa system is about to undergo a major shakeup, which could impact many Indian professionals, who account for the largest percentage of recipients annually.
According to US government data, 191,000 H-1B visas were issued to Indian professionals during the fiscal year 2023. In FY 2024, that figure increased to roughly 207,000.
The White House has approved a proposal from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to replace the long-standing lottery system with a wage-based selection process.
Under the new framework, H-1B visas would be issued to applicants in order of the salaries offered to them, starting with the highest.
The allocation of the 85,000 annual H-1B visas, which include 20,000 for individuals with advanced degrees from the US to foreign professionals, has been decided by a random lottery for decades.
Given that Indian nationals regularly obtain over 70% of these visas, mostly for software, IT consulting, and engineering positions, the program is especially important for India’s tech workforce.
Senior and well-paid professionals might benefit from the proposed change, but recent graduates and entry-level employees, many of whom are imported from India on entry-level packages, may have fewer options.
The plan seems to resurrect a Trump-era push to prioritize visas based on wages rather than chance, even though the regulation’s specifics have not yet been made public.
If put into practice, employers might have to reconsider their hiring practices and consider paying more to increase the likelihood of being chosen.
Unless there are legal challenges, the earliest rollout could occur by the March 2026 filing window for the FY 2027 H-1B cap.
Tom |
