Washington DC/IBNS, Dec. 24 -- In a major overhaul set to impact foreign professionals, including a large number from India, the Donald Trump administration has replaced the H-1B work visa lottery system with a wage- and skill-based selection model, media reports said.

Under the revised framework, the DHS said it will prioritise higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign workers, moving away from the existing random lottery system used when applications exceed the annual cap.

Currently, the United States issues 65,000 H-1B visas annually, with an additional 20,000 visas reserved for applicants holding advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.

The department said the existing "random selection process" has drawn criticism for "allowing unscr...