US Agency Expresses Concerns Over H-1B Visa Lottery System

The number of applications for H-1B visas used in the technology industry has increased by 61% this year, raising concerns that some are manipulating the system to gain an unfair advantage. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has undertaken extensive fraud investigations based on lottery submissions from the last two years, denied some petitions, and is referring some cases to federal prosecutors for possible crimes. H-1B visas have been a lightning rod in the immigration debate, with critics saying they are used to undercut US citizens and legal permanent residents.