Article:
A significant improvement has been observed in the selection rates of the US H-1B visa lottery this year. In some cases, the selection rate has reached as high as 75%. According to a report by Bloomberg Law, this rate was previously around 33%. However, the decrease in the number of applications has led to an increase in the approval rate, with the main reason being attributed to the changes made in the visa program by the Trump administration. In 2026, US businesses experienced a clear improvement in the selection rates for skilled foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, a trend opposite to what was seen over the past few years when the chances of approval were decreasing. This year, the approval rate in several cases exceeded 50%, and in some instances, it reached as high as 75% for candidates with higher salaries and those who hold a master’s degree. Experts believe that the increase in approval rates is not coincidental but the result of policy changes. The Trump administration introduced a new weighted lottery system, which gives preference to candidates with higher salaries and experience, but the main factor contributing to the increase in approval rates is the significant decrease in the total number of applicants. This decrease is largely due to a new fee of $100,000 imposed by the White House on new H-1B workers hired from abroad. This hefty fee has made international hiring very expensive and challenging for many organizations, leading universities and hospitals to almost stop hiring from abroad. Technology companies and other businesses, who fall under the annual visa cap, have also largely avoided sponsoring foreign workers. As a result, the number of registrations for the lottery has significantly decreased, with estimates suggesting a 43% decrease from last year’s 1,95,000 to 3,35,000 this year, making it the lowest level since 2020. In comparison, three years ago, the number of applications exceeded 7,50,000.
