USCIS reveals US now prioritises H-1B selections for holders of Master's degree or higher

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data reveals a major shift towards highly-skilled workers following new wage rules and fee hikes.

The Trump administration reported a significant reduction in the number of H-1B visa petitions for fiscal year 2027, which saw properly filed registrations plummet by 38.5 per cent to 211,600, down from 343,981 last year.

The decrease was said to be due to changes made recently in the H-1B program to reduce abuse in it, according to USCIS.

The agency posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), “This data is a clear sign that the days of abusing the program with mass, low-wage registration are over.”

USCIS stated that 71.5 per cent of the approved candidates had completed advanced degrees from American universities, an increase from 57 per cent last year. Also, only 17.7 per cent of approved cases were from the lowest-paid category, which the agency claimed was proof that they are “closing the door” on unskilled workers.

The registration window for the next fiscal year is expected to open in early 2027.