Despite an effort by the outgoing Trump Administration to implement a new registration system for employers seeking so-called H-1B visas that would have replaced the randomized lottery selection process with a system that prioritized the highest paid H-1B applicants first in descending order until the annual cap was reached, the current lottery system will remain in effect, at least for another year. The H-1B visa program is administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within the Department of Homeland Security.
The H-1B visa program is intended to help U.S.-based American companies deal with labor shortages in rapidly growing fields that demand specialized skills. H-1B visas are issued to foreign workers in “specialty occupations” that require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge, most commonly in computing, science, math, and engineering fields. Demand for H-1B visas traditionally exceeds the annual statutory quota, and the opportunity to apply for a visa is determined by way of a lottery.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.