How the H-1B Lottery Works

What is the H-1B visa?

The H-1B is a non-immigrant work visa that allows US employers to hire foreign workers in "specialty occupations" that require at least a bachelor's degree. It is one of the most common pathways for skilled workers to live and work in the United States.

Demand for H-1B visas far exceeds supply. Congress has set an annual cap of 85,000 new H-1B visas (65,000 regular + 20,000 for US advanced degree holders). With nearly 500,000 registrations annually, USCIS uses a lottery to select who gets to apply.

The registration process

Each year, USCIS opens an electronic registration period (typically in early March). Employers submit a registration for each worker (beneficiary) they want to sponsor, paying a $215 registration fee per registration.

For FY2027, the registration window was March 7-24, 2026. Only employers (or their attorneys) can submit registrations. Workers cannot self-register.

Beneficiary-centric selection (since FY2025)

Before FY2025, each registration was a separate lottery entry. This meant workers with multiple employer registrations had higher odds, which companies exploited by submitting duplicates. Registrations ballooned to nearly 760,000 in FY2024.

Starting FY2025, USCIS switched to a beneficiary-centric system. Each unique worker gets one lottery entry, regardless of how many employers register them. This immediately cut registrations by ~40% (to ~470K) and leveled the playing field.

Wage-level weighting (since FY2026)

Starting FY2026, USCIS introduced weighted selection based on the offered wage level. The Department of Labor defines four wage levels for each occupation and geographic area:

This means your offered salary directly impacts your lottery odds. A software engineer in San Francisco earning $180K (Level 4) has roughly 3-4x the selection chance compared to one earning $70K (Level 1).

The master's cap advantage

If you hold a master's degree or higher from a US institution, you get entered in two pools. First, you are entered in the 20,000 master's cap pool. If not selected there, you are entered again in the 65,000 regular cap pool.

This effectively gives you two shots at selection, which meaningfully improves your overall odds. The boost is especially significant for applicants at lower wage levels.

After selection

If your registration is selected, your employer has 90 days (April 1 through June 30) to file the actual H-1B petition (Form I-129) with supporting documentation. Selection does not guarantee approval. USCIS will review the petition on its merits.

Common reasons for denial include: the role not qualifying as a specialty occupation, insufficient evidence of qualifications, or issues with the employer-employee relationship.

Key dates for FY2027