The United States on Thursday announced that the country will modify the selection process for H-1B visa, giving priority to salary and skills instead of the current lottery procedures.

The final rule to be published in the federal register today (January 8), officials said, is intended to protect the economic interests of US workers and better ensure the most highly skilled foreign workers benefit from the temporary employment program. The final rule will be effective 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register. The next H-1B visa filing season is slated to start on April 1.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that need theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

Modifying the H-1B cap selection process will incentivize 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.

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