DHS Proposes New H-1B Visa Process Favoring High-Skilled Workers

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Sept. 24 proposed that further changes be made to the H-1B visa selection process to prioritize higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign employees. The proposed policy, published on the federal register website, seeks to replace the current random selection process for allocating H-1B visa registrations with a weighted system when annual demands for the visas exceed the 85,000 statutory limit. The DHS stated that the proposed policy changes would “better serve the Congressional intent for the H-1B program” while preserving employers’ ability to secure H-1B workers at “all wage levels.” Under the proposed policy, prospective workers would be assigned a wage level based on the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics....