Foreign workers in tech and other high-demand fields will have better chances of landing an H-1B specialty occupation visas this year thanks to an overhaul of the annual lottery process. Unlike previous years, US Citizenship and Immigration Services will base lottery selections on individual workers, rather than the total number of submissions made on their behalf. The temporary visas have a duration of up to six years but can be extended indefinitely if workers have made sufficient progress in applying for an employer-sponsored green card.