The White House has approved a proposal put forward by the Department of Homeland Security that could bring major changes to the H-1B visa process.
Federal regulators cleared a proposed rule that would apply a "weighted selection process," replacing the current random lottery system.
With the new system, priority would be given in the selection process to registrants who meet or exceed certain criteria, such as wage or education level.
The H-1B offers 85,000 slots annually to skilled foreign workers in fields such as engineering and tech. If the rules for selecting visa holders change, employers might have to offer higher wages and change their recruitment process.
Moreover, the new proposal mirrors a 2021 DHS plan under President Donald Trump’s first administration that had sought to rank and select petitions by wage tiers, which the president argued would prioritise higher-paid, highly skilled hires.
The H-1B visa has come under intense scrutiny since Trump assumed office in January, as the president's supporters have called into question the number of visas handed out to foreign nationals at what they claim is the expense of American workers.
Notably, Microsoft is under growing pressure to account for its H-1B visa requests while the company has issued major layoffs in recent months.
Advisors and experts believe that the Trump administration would soon announce the new rule about H-1B visas, as a key White House office has approved the change, allowing the public to comment.
