https://www.siliconvalley.com/2019/01/30/h-1bs-big-lottery-change-made-final/ > A new federal rule intended to favor more highly educated applicants and streamline the application process for the controversial H-1B visa has been finalized. > One of the two elements of the new rule will change the way the lottery-based application system works, to boost the proportion of H-1B visas awarded to foreign citizens with a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. school, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The visa, intended for jobs requiring specialized knowledge, requires a bachelor’s degree or higher.