E-Paper
H-1B visa update: Will there be second lottery? All we know as USCIS achieves visa cap for FY2027
For the first time, USCIS conducted a wage-based lottery instead of a random selection, and employers were obligated to pay $100,000 for each H-1B petition.
In a significant update, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services declared on Friday that there will not be a second lottery for FY2027. The agency stated, “US Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for fiscal year 2027.”
The agency organizes a second lottery round if the cap is not achieved. This year, there was a sense of hope for a second or potentially a third lottery round, given the distinct nature of this year's H-1B lottery. For the first time, USCIS conducted a wage-based lottery instead of a random selection, and it is also the first time that employers are obligated to pay $100,000 for each H-1B petition they submit.
Fall in lottery registrations
This time there was a decrease in lottery registrations due to the implementation of several new regulations. Experts suggested that this reduced number could increase the likelihood of a second or third round of the lottery. Approximately 211,600 H-1B registrations were submitted for FY 2027, in contrast to 343,981 for FY 2026.
Wage-based lottery removes random selection method
Fiscal Year 2027 marked the inaugural implementation of a wage-based lottery by USCIS, which replaced the former random selection method. Jobs with higher salaries were granted improved chances of selection. Due to the unfamiliarity of this process for employers, some experts anticipated that filing behaviors would become less predictable.
The Trump administration also established a $100,000 fee for H-1B applications, resulting in employers being significantly more selective regarding their registrations. Consequently, many companies submitted fewer applications compared to previous years. It was anticipated that several employers might refrain from filing a petition even if an employee was selected in the lottery due to the associated fee.
