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by Lexi Wu on Jul 15, 2024 5:15:00 PM
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Update on August 5, 2024: Since August 1st, we have continuously received results from our students that they have updates from the lawyers and employers. According to our students' report and USCIS' announcement, "We selected 13,607 beneficiaries in the second selection for the FY 2025 H-1B regular cap, resulting in 14,534 selected registrations." We can estimate that during the second H1B visa lottery, the selected rate reaches 3%, in total 28.5% in the 2 times of H1B visa lottery in the 2025 fiscal year. What is the possible rate for the 2026 FY? According to our long-term observation, the possible rate might be highly related to the result of the presidential election at the end of 2024. If the president is more open to the immigration policy, then the rate will be approximately higher than this year, which leads to 30-35%. However, if the result goes to the conservative one on immigration policy, the rate might be similar to this year, around 25%.
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On July 30th, USCIS announced that they will conduct second H1B visa lottery in 2025 fiscal year.
Eligibility: Only previously unselected registrations are eligible for the second lottery; no new registrations will be accepted.
Quota: The Master Cap is already filled, so there will be no second lottery for it. However, applicants with a Master's degree or higher who meet the eligibility criteria will be included in the Regular Cap for the second lottery.
Dates: The exact dates will be announced soon, expected shortly.
Notification: Selected registrants will receive instructions for submitting their applications through their USCIS online accounts.
Read More: Second H1B Lottery 2025 FY: Selection Estimations
Following the release of the first H1B visa lottery results on April 1st, there were mixed emotions among applicants. Those who were selected began preparing their documents, hoping to avoid Requests for Evidence (RFE). On the other hand, those not selected eagerly anticipate the potential second H1B visa lottery, typically held at the end of July or the beginning of August.
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The Big Question: Will There Be a Second H1B Visa Lottery?
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received 442,000 eligible registrations from independent beneficiaries for the FY 2025 H1B cap season, selecting 114,017 beneficiaries. This is 25.8% of the total registrations submitted for the 2025 fiscal year, a significant decrease compared to last year. For the FY 2024, USCIS received a record 758,994 registrations, raising concerns about abuse of the H-1B cap registration system, leading to substantial changes this year.
For FY 2025, the number of registrations submitted by foreign nationals who registered multiple times also saw a considerable decrease, addressing another concern from last year's cap season. It is expected that USCIS will decide whether to hold a second lottery by July 2024, after the current H-1B filing period ends.
It remains uncertain whether there will be a second H1B lottery this year. USCIS is expected to notify applicants about a potential second round after the first-round submission window closes. Therefore, those not selected in the first round remain in a "Submitted" status.
Key Statistics for FY 2025
- Total Registrations: USCIS selected 114,017 beneficiaries from about 442,000 applicants, with a selection rate of 26%. Although the number of beneficiaries remained consistent with the previous year, the total number of registrations decreased significantly, possibly reflecting the impact of the new one-person-one-registration policy, reducing invalid applications.
- Unique Beneficiaries: The number of unique beneficiaries for FY 2025 was about 442,000, comparable to the 446,000 for FY 2024.
- Employers: Approximately 52,700 employers participated, consistent with FY 2024.
- Eligible Registrations: There was a significant drop in eligible registrations for FY 2025, totaling 470,342, a 38.6% decrease from the 758,994 registrations submitted last year.
- Average Registrations Per Beneficiary: The average number of registrations per beneficiary was 1.06 for FY 2025, down from 1.70 in FY 2024.
A Brief History of Second and Third Lotteries
The concept of a second lottery first appeared in FY 2021 when USCIS conducted a second draw. This was unprecedented and initially seen as remarkable. However, FY 2022 saw not only a second but also a third lottery. Since then, multiple lotteries each year have become anticipated.
Why Are There Multiple Lotteries?
Simply put, some selected applicants fail to submit their materials, leaving vacant slots, thus prompting a second or even third draw. For instance, in FY 2021, the first lottery selected over 100,000 applicants, but many did not submit their paperwork, necessitating a second lottery.
This year, however, the situation differs due to the one-person-one-registration policy, ensuring that each applicant is genuine. This policy reduces the likelihood of selected individuals not submitting their documents. Given the current economic downturn and layoffs, reaching the 85,000 annual cap appears quite feasible, making a second lottery less likely.
Impact of the Lottery Results on Applicants
Despite the higher selection rate this year, many applicants are still disappointed. A 26% selection rate means most applicants will need to reapply or seek alternative paths. Given the possibility of no second lottery for FY 2025, applicants aiming to stay in the U.S. should begin exploring other visa options now. These include:
- O-1 Visa: For individuals demonstrating extraordinary ability in fields such as science, arts, education, business, or athletics.
- L-1 Visa: Suitable for intracompany transferees who are executives, managers, or have specialized knowledge.
- F-1 Visa Holders: Can participate in the Day 1 CPT program, allowing them to work while studying, an attractive option for students wishing to gain work experience during their education.
- Other Job Opportunities: Consider positions that do not require the H1B visa lottery.
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