US set to modernise H-1B visa registration after detecting fraud, abuse in computerised lottery system

A US federal agency has announced plans to modernise the H-1B registration process after detecting abuse and fraud by some companies to artificially boost their chances of winning the coveted visa for their skilled foreign workers in the computerised drawing of lots.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

In an unusual statement, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Friday said, based on evidence from the Financial Year 2023 and Financial Year 2024 H-1B cap seasons,