US to amend H-1B visa process, wages and skill to get priority over lottery system

The United States has said it will amend the selection process for H-1B visa, giving priority to salary and skills instead of the current lottery system. “The H-1B temporary visa programme has been exploited and abused by employers primarily seeking to fill entry-level positions and reduce overall business costs,” said USCIS Deputy Director for Policy Joseph Edlow. How will the modification help Modifying the H-1B cap selection process will incentivise employers to offer higher salaries, and/or petition for higher-skilled positions, and establish a more certain path for businesses to achieve personnel needs and remain globally competitive, said US Citizenship and Immigration Services. According to the final rule, a version of which was released by Department of Homeland Security, Instead, a registration system that faithfully implements the Immigration and Nationality Act while prioritising registrations based on wage level within each cap will incentivize H-1B employers to offer higher wages, or to petition for positions requiring higher skills and higher-skilled aliens that are commensurate with higher wage levels, to increase the likelihood of selection and eligibility to file an H-1B cap-subject petition.