US Businesses Face Stricter H-1B Visa Scrutiny in 2026 Lottery
As the H-1B visa lottery for 2026 opens, US businesses looking to hire highly skilled foreign workers should prepare for tougher checks and stricter rules. The H1B visa program is popular with tech companies and generally hands out around 85,000 new visas each year. Even though there have been hikes in registration fees and stricter rules for getting licenses, people still want to get registered.
Key Changes in the 2026 H-1B Lottery:
- Higher Registration Fee:
- The cost to register a worker has skyrocketed from $10 to almost $215 now. However, experts point out that this isn’t going to dial down applications because businesses depend on bringing in talent from abroad.
- Stricter Job Requirements:
- The new rules say that workers not only have to be experts in the job but also that these degrees have to match directly with the duties they’ll be handling. This ensures that only eligible applicants secure jobs.
- Fairer Selection Process:
- USCIS has cracked down on duplicate registrations, making the lottery more credible and reducing system abuse.
What Employers Can Expect?
- Tougher Visa Approvals:
- Even if selected in the lottery, getting visa approval could be harder due to increased vetting and stricter documentation requirements.
- Potential Delays:
- The visa approval process may slow down as authorities closely examine applications.
- Greater Oversight:
- Employers starting to worry their workplaces might have more inspections by immigration authorities and have to turn over information.
Why Demand Remains High?
Despite price increases and more strict rules companies like Amazon they still hire and people who work there. It happens because hiring people from foreign lands still costs a lot less than recruiting people who live locally right now. Businesses need super special skills and trust H1B visas as one of the best ways to get some of those top talent.
