Dec. 23 (UPI) -- The Trump administration announced new rules Tuesday for the H-1B visa program that officials say will attract skilled immigrants and ease pressure on lower-wage U.S. workers.
The Department of Homeland Security announced that the rule change would replace the current lottery system for the visas with one that gives "greater weight to those with higher skills." The new rules are part of President Donald Trump's clampdown on immigration, which he has argued has come at the expense of U.S. workers.
The federal government typically issues about 85,000 H-1B visas, which are sought by tech companies and other professional services looking for overseas talent.
But some employers have used the lottery process to attract lower-skilled foreign workers who can drive down wages for domestic employees, according to the department's press statement.
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