H1-B visas are a category of non-immigrant visas in the United States that allow U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise.

Commonly used in the tech industry, these visas enable firms like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to hire engineers, programmers, and other highly skilled professionals from around the globe.

Each year, the number of H1-B visas is capped, leading to intense competition among employers for limited slots, which are allocated through a lottery system.