The H-1B visa lottery is set to open on March 7, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This would continue the annual tradition of offering high-skilled workers a chance to apply for one of the 85,000 coveted spots.
This year, however, there are concerns over changes to the system, which make it difficult for people affected by the recent wave of tech layoffs to secure a path to stay in the country.
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While previously employers could submit multiple registrations for a single applicant, increasing their chance of selection, now a foreign worker can be registered only once. This change in the system has been made to focus on “unique beneficiaries,” ensuring that each foreign worker can only be considered once, regardless of the number of employers.
“The new process ensures a fairer and more transparent selection, reducing the ability to manipulate the system,” the USCIS stated.
While some have praised this for being a more equitable system, there have also been concerns over its impact on foreign workers, many of whom are facing employment issues.
The situation is especially dire for people affected by the recent wave of tech layoffs, especially from big tech companies like Meta, Microsoft and Google.
Meta, in particular, had announced that they would be letting go over 3,000 employees. These workers, who had relied on the stability of their employers for their legal status in the U.S, now have to face the struggle of securing another job before their visa status becomes tenable.
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The H-1B visa program has long been a key avenue for skilled foreign workers to enter the U.S. and contribute to industries ranging from technology to healthcare. Critics argue that with the new system in place, the changes could have unintended consequences, especially for those who were laid off in recent times.
With the H-1B cap registration window set to open in March 2025, employers will need to weigh these competing factors carefully. While the rise in registration fees, government spending cuts, and economic uncertainty may dampen enthusiasm for H-1B filings, the continued expansion of AI-driven industries and concerns over potential future restrictions could sustain or even boost application numbers, wrote immigration attorney Johnson Myalil for The American Bazaar.