The Trump administration has proposed raising minimum wages for H-1B and green card workers. The new rule would increase prevailing wage levels significantly — for example, entry-level (Level I) wages would rise from the 17th to the 34th percentile. This aims to protect American workers’ salaries and reduce misuse of the H-1B program by companies paying lower wages to foreign talent.

The H-1B lottery is changing in 2026. USCIS is replacing the random draw with a wage-based, weighted selection system. Here’s a simple breakdown of what’s changing, why it matters, and how it could affect your chances.

Currently, the average processing time for Form I-765 across all USCIS service centers, including all categories, is 6.5 months for 80%..

The H-1B lottery process begins with an online registration which is done by the employer (that's where an employee needs sponsorship).

This page shows the current USCIS processing time for Form I-539 which is used for an extension of status or stay. This data is frequently..

There is no premium processing service available for the H4 EAD, I-765 application. However, you can submit an Expedite Request.

This page shows the current processing times for Form I-539 if you have applied for a change of status to H4, B1/B2, L2, F, M, or J visa...

Current processing times for H4 EAD from all USCIS service centers, including the latest service request dates for standalone I-765...