WASHINGTON—The government is set to again distribute scarce H-1B visas for high-skilled foreign workers by lottery, without the big changes President Donald Trumppromised to enact a year ago.

Demand for the visas—which are used by outsourcing firms and high-tech Silicon Valley companies, as well as by many smaller employers—has for years far outstripped the supply. The government said Friday that it had begun accepting applications on Monday and had already received enough to meet the 85,000 cap.

Winners...