The United States is altering the way it allocates H‑1B work visas, a shift that could significantly affect UAE‑based professionals and other international expats planning to pursue employment opportunities in the US.
The Department of Homeland Security has announced that it will eliminate the traditional random lottery for H‑1B visas and adopt a new system prioritising candidates with higher salaries and specialised expertise. These updated rules are scheduled to kick in on February 27, 2026, and will govern the 2027 visa cycle.
The H‑1B visa programme permits American employers to recruit foreign professionals for specialised positions across sectors like technology, engineering, healthcare, and finance. Annually, 65,000 visas are made available, along with an additional 20,000 for applicants holding advanced degrees from US institutions.
Since demand for H‑1B visas far exceeds the annual supply, the US has historically used a lottery to determine who receives one — a method that has frequently denied visas to well‑qualified candidates.
This lottery is now being discontinued.
Rather than random selection, applications will be assessed and ranked under the updated system. Roles offering higher compensation and demanding specialised skills will have stronger prospects of approval, while lower‑paid positions will remain eligible but with lower chances of selection.
Officials from US immigration authorities argue that the previous lottery system was often exploited, with firms flooding it with numerous entries for lower‑wage roles.
A representative of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services states that the new measures aim to realign the programme with its intended goals and safeguard job opportunities for US workers.
These revisions may have considerable implications for UAE‑based professionals, particularly those employed in sectors such as technology, engineering, finance, and healthcare.
Candidates with advanced qualifications, specialised skills and more lucrative job offers may enjoy improved odds of approval, while those pursuing junior or lower‑paid positions could still qualify, but will face stiffer competition.
The updated system may also discourage bulk submissions by recruiting agencies, potentially making the selection process more straightforward and transparent for individual applicants instead of high‑volume sponsors.
The revised rules raise expectations for American employers, who might now need to provide higher salaries and more clearly specified specialised positions to attract overseas talent.
According to government officials, the aim of the overhaul is to prevent downward pressure on wages and ensure that hiring foreign workers does not displace domestic employees.
The overhaul forms part of broader reforms by the Trump administration to increase scrutiny of the H‑1B system, including measures such as an additional $100,000 fee for certain employer‑sponsored visas.
These revisions won’t take effect right away, allowing both employers and prospective applicants time to prepare ahead of the 2027 visa cycle.
For UAE residents and other expats considering employment in the US, the implication is clear: seniority, salary and specialised expertise will be more important than ever in the H‑1B application process.
