H-1B Wage Levels Explained – How Salary Decides Your Visa Fate in 2026

[yslokesh]

8 hours ago, futureofandhra said:

what about 100k fee

Manavaallu gumpulu gumpulu vunnaaru, vaalla future yeentantaavu bro?

[Tellugodu]

22 minutes ago, yslokesh said:

Manavaallu gumpulu gumpulu vunnaaru, vaalla future yeentantaavu bro?

Inkem undi , piskovatame…

[fakeenk]

28 minutes ago, Tellugodu said:

B1/B2 does come under 100k rule kada uncle.

Within us lo undi convert aithe no need anukunta

[Pahelwan5]

So all students fasaked just do part time or get married to a us fori. No other option

[futureofandhra]

1 hour ago, Tellugodu said:

B1/B2 does come under 100k rule kada uncle.

still entha mandhi vuntaru b1/b2

ee year varaku ayithey students ki chance vundhi due to 100k fee

[Sucker]

11 hours ago, Tellugodu said:

@Sucker ga, read the below, the new process is not the lame one as you are projecting. There are some rods that your mestris can’t circumvent.  @akkum_bakkum 

 

For years, H-1B selection felt random. Two people, same degree, same company—one wins, one loses. By 2026, that randomness is gone. The H-1B process has quietly shifted to something far more decisive: Your wage level now determines your survival. The new system doesn’t just ask who applied. It asks how much value you bring—and salary is the *****.

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What Changed in the H-1B Selection Model?

From One Lottery to Multiple Wage-Based Selections

Earlier:

• Everyone had one entry

• Salary didn’t matter

• Entry-level and senior roles competed equally

Now:

• Candidates are grouped by wage levels

• USCIS runs multiple selection rounds

• Higher wage levels get priority every time

This is no longer a single lottery.
It’s a tiered filtering system.

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Understanding H-1B Wage Levels (Simple Explanation)

H-1B wages are classified into four levels, based on:

• Experience

• Responsibility

• Complexity of the role

• Market salary data

Wage Levels Overview

Level 1 – Entry Level

• Fresh graduates

• Basic responsibilities

• Close supervision

• Lowest salaries

Level 2 – Early Career

• Some experience

• Independent tasks

• Moderate responsibility

Level 3 – Experienced

• Strong expertise

• Critical team role

• High responsibility

Level 4 – Senior / Expert

• Leadership or niche expertise

• Business-critical impact

• Highest salaries

⚠️ Important:
This has nothing to do with your degree alone.
It’s about what the job role demands.

---

How Selection Actually Runs Now (2026 Reality)

Multiple Selection Rounds – Not One Shot

USCIS no longer treats all registrations equally.

Instead, selection works like this:

1️⃣ First Selection Round

• USCIS picks from highest wage level first

• Mostly Level 4

2️⃣ Second Selection Round

• If visas remain, they move to Level 3

3️⃣ Third Selection Round

• Then Level 2, only if numbers are still left

4️⃣ Level 1?

• Often never reached

• Or reached only when demand is unusually low

So yes—salary decides how many chances you get.

---

Clear Example (Very Important)

Let’s say USCIS has 85,000 visas.

Applicant Pool

• Level 4: 30,000 applicants

• Level 3: 40,000 applicants

• Level 2: 50,000 applicants

• Level 1: 80,000 applicants

What Happens?

Round 1:

• USCIS selects from Level 4

• All 30,000 selected

Remaining visas: 55,000

Round 2:

• USCIS selects from Level 3

• 40,000 selected

Remaining visas: 15,000

Round 3:

• USCIS moves to Level 2

• Only 15,000 out of 50,000 get selected

❌ Level 1 never even gets touched

That’s the reality.

---

Why Entry-Level Applicants Are Losing

1️⃣ Entry-Level Roles Sit at Wage Level 1

Most OPT and fresh graduate roles are:

• Lower paid

• Less responsibility

• Easily replaceable

Which automatically places them at the bottom of the queue.

---

2️⃣ Employers Choose Lower Wages to Save Cost

Many companies:

• Intentionally file Level 1 or Level 2

• To reduce payroll and compliance cost

But lower wage = lower selection priority.

This tradeoff is now hurting candidates directly.

---

3️⃣ The System Rewards “Risk Reduction”

From USCIS and employer perspective:

• Higher wage = higher skill

• Higher skill = lower risk

• Lower risk = preferred candidate

Fair or not, this is how the system thinks.

---

Myths vs Reality (Wage Levels Edition)

Myth: Any H-1B job has equal chance
👉 Reality: Wage level decides priority

Myth: Master’s degree guarantees safety
👉 Reality: Salary > Degree

Myth: Level 1 will get picked in later rounds
👉 Reality: Often, there are no later rounds

---

Who Is Winning Under This System?

Better Positioned Candidates

• Senior engineers

• AI / ML specialists

• Cloud & platform engineers

• Cybersecurity professionals

• Domain experts with tech depth

Struggling the Most

• Fresh graduates

• OPT-only roles

• Generic software developers

• QA / support-heavy roles

---

What Students & OPT Holders Must Do Now

Stop Thinking “Any Job Is Enough”

A low-paying role can now:

• Block H-1B chances

• Waste OPT time

• Force early exit

The role must be strategic, not just legal.

---

Target Roles That Justify Higher Wages

• Revenue-impacting work

• Business-critical systems

• Niche domain expertise

• Hard-to-replace skills

If the job can’t justify a higher wage,
it can’t justify a visa anymore.

---

Emotional Reality No One Explains

Many students feel cheated:

• Same effort

• Same degree

• Same company

Yet someone earning more gets multiple chances while others get none.

This isn’t incompetence.
It’s structural disadvantage.

---

Key Takeaway

The H-1B lottery didn’t become fairer.
It became hierarchical.

In 2026:

• Salary = priority

• Wage level = survival

• Entry-level = highest risk

Those who understand this early can still plan smart.
Those who ignore it will learn too late.

https://visalife.net/blog/h-1b-wage-levels-explained-how-salary-decides-your-visa-fate-in-2026

Sollu puranam. Yevadu cheppadu level 4 1st theesthadu ani. Andarni mixi lo vestharu 1st lo still not able to fill quota ante then they will go for Level 4 them level 3 ala 

[Tellugodu]

5 minutes ago, Sucker said:

Sollu puranam. Yevadu cheppadu level 4 1st theesthadu ani. Andarni mixi lo vestharu 1st lo still not able to fill quota ante then they will go for Level 4 them level 3 ala 

Andarini mixi lo veste, malli adi lottery based aythadi kani, wage based Enduku aythadi @gumpumaestri aka @Sucker baa ? 

[Tellugodu]

1 hour ago, Pahelwan5 said:

So all students fasaked just do part time or get married to a us fori. No other option

Ee opt poralaku, Kanisam basic communication skills undali kada (majority of them who came in Biden era lack of it) to trap the fori, more over these foris are not that naive, to get trapped to avg looking indi youth. 

[Sucker]

5 minutes ago, Tellugodu said:

Andarini mixi lo veste, malli adi lottery based aythadi kani, wage based Enduku aythadi @gumpumaestri aka @Sucker baa ? 

Adhe magic. Lottery ki oka padthathi paadu ledhu. You are expecting to much from Dump admin vaadu yeppudo Ammudu poyyadu 

[jefferson1]

h1b Extensions ki emaina affect unda

[Thokkalee]

7 hours ago, yslokesh said:

will this scheme stay alive after Tr umps exit?

It will stay unless the next admin changes the rules, which I don’t think they will.

Except for immigration, Biden didn’t roll back any of Trump’s changes the last time.. including the tariffs and any new/revised deals that he made with the countries in his first term… 

Trump is right in many of the issues in so many ways.. but the way he is doing this is the problem.. Left leaning media highlights every thing he says and everything he does in a negative way.. DailyBeast news or Msnbc headings choodu, they are worse than Fox News.. 

[Thokkalee]

36 minutes ago, Tellugodu said:

Andarini mixi lo veste, malli adi lottery based aythadi kani, wage based Enduku aythadi @gumpumaestri aka @Sucker baa ? 

Based on DHS estimates under the new system:

• Level I ≈ ~15% selection probability
• Level II ≈ ~31%
• Level III ≈ ~46%
• Level IV ≈ ~61%

the probability of getting picked in the lottery increases for higher level wages.. 

but again this is helpful only for people already in US.. not fresh h1’s from India.. they have to pay 100K plus level 3/4 wages to have a chance.. 

Ikkada masters porollani rural areas lo level 3/4 wages ki match chesi file chesthaaru.. I won’t be surprised if witch companies setup an office in rural Mississippi or Alabama just to file these h1’s.. 

[Tellugodu]

1 hour ago, Thokkalee said:

Based on DHS estimates under the new system:

• Level I ≈ ~15% selection probability
• Level II ≈ ~31%
• Level III ≈ ~46%
• Level IV ≈ ~61%

the probability of getting picked in the lottery increases for higher level wages.. 

but again this is helpful only for people already in US.. not fresh h1’s from India.. they have to pay 100K plus level 3/4 wages to have a chance.. 

Ikkada masters porollani rural areas lo level 3/4 wages ki match chesi file chesthaaru.. I won’t be surprised if witch companies setup an office in rural Mississippi or Alabama just to file these h1’s.. 

there are some rules to restrict the remote area abuse uncle.

Guidance on Multiple Locations, Lack of Wage Levels

• Multiple Locations H1B Job: As per the DHS final rule, if the applicant’s LCA is listed to work at multiple job locations, then the employer must pick the lowest job level for the same salary across all locations. This ensures that they do not abuse the system by listing the job at a higher wage level in a remote location. 
• No Wage Level Data: If there is no OEWS wage level data for some SOC codes, then DHS suggests following the practices of prevailing wage determination(PWD) to select the appropriate wage level.

 

 

• • To ensure compliance, USCIS will closely review the Wage Level, Salary, Location, and SOC Code of the H1B registration with the petition, if they match. 
  • If there is a mismatch, they will send a denial notice as the wage levels and details have changed.
• Step 5 – No Changes to Wage Levels for Future Amendments, Extensions: In the future for amendments or extensions, USCIS will keep a close watch on the Wage Levels, Salaries, Location and SOC Code for the applicants so that employers do not take advantage of the loopholes by changing them to lower levels, lower wages or locations with lower wages and higher wage levels to game the system. If they find any violations, they would revoke the H1B Petition for fraud.

[yslokesh]

2 hours ago, Thokkalee said:

It will stay unless the next admin changes the rules, which I don’t think they will.

Except for immigration, Biden didn’t roll back any of Trump’s changes the last time.. including the tariffs and any new/revised deals that he made with the countries in his first term… 

Trump is right in many of the issues in so many ways.. but the way he is doing this is the problem.. Left leaning media highlights every thing he says and everything he does in a negative way.. DailyBeast news or Msnbc headings choodu, they are worse than Fox News.. 

looks like heartfelt support is pouring even from T rumpp haters as well. Everyone was knowing the level of abuse H1Bs from India doing but no one had support from the top like POTUS himself.

talking to people went there 10-15 years, even they are scared with so much hatred around them.

Hatred from both whites and blacks alike with makkus and Chinkies joining the bandwagon

[yslokesh]

2 hours ago, Thokkalee said:

It will stay unless the next admin changes the rules, which I don’t think they will.

Except for immigration, Biden didn’t roll back any of Trump’s changes the last time.. including the tariffs and any new/revised deals that he made with the countries in his first term… 

Trump is right in many of the issues in so many ways.. but the way he is doing this is the problem.. Left leaning media highlights every thing he says and everything he does in a negative way.. DailyBeast news or Msnbc headings choodu, they are worse than Fox News.. 

its already too late, when I was studying in VRSEC the ammas felt USA like their adopted land. Just right from first year of Btech they plan course, university, city to study and then pick up surnames to join for accommodation. And then pick work locations where ammas were dominant.

abbo inka girls overaction choodaali, settling in USA is my birthright ane vaaallu..

Am very happy all that is coming to an end. Over to @futureofandhra bro for their inner feelings