Trump Planning to Scrap H-1B Lottery Process?

The Trump administration is now planning a big shake-up in the H-1B visa process. Instead of the usual lottery system, the proposal is to bring in a weighted selection model. This means applicants with higher skills and higher salaries will get better chances at approval, while those at lower wage levels will have fewer chances.

As per reports, someone in the top wage tier could get four entries into the selection pool, while those in the lowest tier would only get one. The idea is to ensure companies hire highly paid and skilled workers rather than misusing the system to bring in cheaper labor.

This move comes just after Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee for each new H-1B application. The White House clarified that the aim is to protect American workers, discourage misuse, and give genuine companies more clarity in hiring skilled talent.

Indians, who account for nearly 70 percent of H-1B visas, could face a major impact. IT giants like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro may see billions in added costs, which could reduce hiring in the US or push more jobs back to India.

These changes are being discussed even as Indian ministers S Jaishankar and Piyush Goyal are in the US holding meetings with Trump officials on trade and workforce issues.