H-1B Changes 2026: Weighted Process Prioritizes Top Talent, Protects U.S. Jobs
Dec 24, 2025
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that it has finalized changes to the H-1B work visa selection process, replacing the program’s random lottery with a weighted system that prioritizes higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign workers.
Under the new rule, H-1B visas subject to the annual cap will be allocated based on wage levels rather than chance. DHS said the change is intended to better protect the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities of American workers while strengthening the integrity of the H-1B program.
The Dallas Express previously reported on the high level of public engagement surrounding proposed H-1B reforms during the federal rulemaking process, as critics raised concerns about wage suppression and abuse of the program.
“The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by U.S. employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages than they would pay American workers,” said U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Matthew Tragesser.
https://dallasexpress.com/business-markets/h-1b-changes-2026-weighted-process-prioritizes-top-talent-protects-u-s-jobs/
