US Shifts H-1B Lottery to Wage-Based Selection System Favoring Higher-Paying Jobs

The US Department of Homeland Security is set to implement a new wage-based selection system for H-1B visas, effective October 1, 2026. The new system will allocate a number of registrations according to the salary requirements for the position being filled.

Under this system, higher wage levels will receive more entries in the selection pool, increasing their chances of selection. For example, Wage Level IV will receive four entries, while Wage Level I will receive only one entry.

This means that Indian professionals, who account for a large share of H-1B workers, may have an advantage if they secure higher-paying jobs in the US.