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2w ago

USCIS Proposes Stricter Civics Exam and Wage-Weighted H-1B Visa Selection

Proposals must secure sign-off from DHS, OIRA; implementation may also require congressional approval before any changes take effect.

New US citizens recite the Oath of Allegiance before receiving their naturalization certificates during a formal ceremony at Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, on June 25, 2025.
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Overview

  • USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the agency will return to a more rigorous 12-of-20 format for the civics exam introduced under President Trump’s first term.
  • The administration plans to replace the H-1B lottery system with a wage-weighted selection process that favors higher salary offers from U.S. employers.
  • Officials describe the reforms as ways to align legal immigration with the principle of supplementing rather than supplanting American workers.
  • Formal rule-making is pending and cannot proceed without sign-off from DHS and OIRA and potential congressional approval.
  • Institute for Progress analysis indicates a wage-based H-1B allocation could boost average visa holder salaries by up to 88 percent, though industry experts are divided.