The Trump administration plans to reform the H-1B visa lottery system to prioritize applicants with high salaries and high skills.

On September 23rd local time, the US Department of Homeland Security announced in the Federal Register that the Trump administration plans to adjust the H-1B visa application process by introducing a weighted selection mechanism, prioritizing applicants with higher skill levels and better salaries in the annual quota lottery. The rule will be officially published on September 24th. According to the announcement, this move will make it more likely for H-1B applicants with higher salaries to be selected, thereby increasing employers' chances of hiring foreign talent for high-skilled positions. The announcement emphasizes that there are limits on the number of H-1B visas and exemptions, but in a high-demand context, the government has the right to improve efficiency through process improvements.