Comment It's based on earning potential, not quality (Score 5, Insightful) 52
I was watching a Twitch stream where Pokimane was addressing her recent visa renewal and some issues travelling back to the US, and she nailed it perfectly. The O1 visa is based upon how much money the US thinks you can make, and they can therefore tax. It's not about artistry or anything like that in the majority of cases, they just want to see you will make money they can collect taxes on. Like most things in the government (especially in this government) it has become entirely transactional.