Skilled foreign professionals moving to the US may soon face higher salary thresholds and stricter visa rules, with the proposed changes expected to increase minimum salary requirements under the H-1B and employment-based immigration categories from 21% to 33%.The move comes as US officials are pushing to restrict high-skilled immigration by toughening wages and reducing post-study work options for international students, especially in STEM fields.In March 2026, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a proposal that would increase the required prevailing wage for H-1B visa holders and employment-based immigrants. The rule would increase the minimum wage level by 21% to 33%, depending on experience. The comment period is set to end at the end of May, with the draft expected to be finalized in late 2026 or early 2027.As well as the pay changes, immigration enforcement is tightening in other areas. In September 2025, the Trump administration imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa entrants, a move that has already hurt employer demand for foreign talent.Further restrictions are expected to target international students. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed replacing the “duration of status” system with fixed admission periods, requiring students to seek government approval to extend. This may affect people enrolled in longer degree programs and discourage study in the US.Officials are also expected to introduce rules limiting Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT, programs that currently allow graduates to work in the US after completing their studies. OPT provides 12 months of work authorization, while STEM OPT extends it to 24 months.Industry experts say the impact of these measures is already being felt. “The H-1B front continues to be impacted by negative news and regulation,” Greene & Spiegel’s Jonathan Grode told Forbes.He added: “The weighted lottery and potential $100,000 fee have dramatically reduced employer interest in the H-1B visa category, and if the proposed ‘surcharge’ on salary levels is enacted, small employers in particular could be locked out of this category entirely.”There are also growing concerns about processing delays and strict adjudication standards. Dagmar Butte of Parker Butte told Forbes: “Processing times are getting longer and longer. We are filing premiums or upgrading everything when time becomes critical, such as when the 240-day authorization for a timely filed extension is about to expire.”He said agencies are challenging salary levels and documentation, creating uncertainty for employers even if applications are properly filed.Legal experts also point to new complexities in visa applications following the change in key forms. Vic Goyal of Goyal & Anderson told Forbes: “So a strong specialist business rationale emphasizes the complexity of the position, the depth of expertise required and the advanced qualifications required for the role.”He added: “The appropriate prevailing wage level, on the other hand, is determined by reference to the minimum qualifications required to perform the duties of the position, that is, what would be required of an entry level, qualified, experienced or fully competent worker in that occupation, benchmarked against the Department of Labor’s O*NET occupational database. These are related but distinct inquiries, and what strengthens one may weaken the other.“Even the highest-skilled immigration categories are suffering, with recent data showing that rejection rates for EB-1 and EB-2 green card applications are rising.