Since USCIS announced that H-1B lottery registration for the fiscal year 2026 will open on March 7, discussions about anticipated trends for the FY 2025 H-1B lottery season have already begun among prospective applicants. Last year, we saw a significant decline in the total number of registrations compared to previous years.
USCIS received a total of 479,953 H-1B registrations, selecting 135,137 applicants—a selection rate of just 28%. This means that only a fraction of hopeful candidates had the opportunity to submit complete H-1B visa petitions. In this blog, we will explore recent trends in the H-1B lottery and what to expect for the FY 2025 H-1B cap season.
Emerging H-1B Lottery Trends: Strengthening Integrity and Fairness
One of the most significant changes in recent years has been the push for greater integrity and fairness in the H-1B lottery process. In January 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented a new rule aimed at reducing fraud and streamlining the process.
The rule introduced a beneficiary-centric H-1B selection system, where each beneficiary can only be registered for the lottery once, regardless of how many employers submit applications on their behalf.
This shift was a response to the growing number of duplicate registrations, where multiple employers would submit applications for the same beneficiary, inflating the pool and reducing the chances for other applicants. By limiting each applicant to one entry in the lottery, USCIS has made the system more equitable and reduced the potential for abuse.
The impact of this rule has already been felt, with a noticeable decline in the total number of registrations for FY 2025. The number of eligible registrations dropped significantly—from 758,994 in FY2024 to 470,342 in FY2025, reflecting a 38.6% decrease. This shift shows that the new rules are working to eliminate unnecessary duplicates, ensuring fair selection.
Let’s look at the past five years of H1B registrations.
| Cap Fiscal Year | Total Registrations | Eligible Registrations | Selections |
| 2021 | 274,237 | 269,424 | 124,415 |
| 2022 | 308,613 | 301,447 | 131,924 |
| 2023 | 483,927 | 474,421 | 127,600 |
| 2024 | 780,884 | 758,994 | 188,400 |
| 2025 | 479,953 | 470,342 | 135,137 |
H1B Lottery 2025-26 Predictions
While the drop in registrations in FY2025 was substantial, it’s possible that FY2026 will see more stable registration numbers. The beneficiary-centric system may encourage a more focused approach to the lottery, as employers and beneficiaries alike recognize that multiple applications for the same individual no longer increase the chances of selection. However, the number of registrations is still expected to remain high, as demand for H-1B visas continues to be strong.
Chances of Second Lottery
As we witnessed last year, USCIS had to conduct a second round of the H1B lottery to complete the quota of the H1B cap. This time, too, we can expect the second round of the lottery to take place.
Premium Processing will be available
USCIS offers premium processing services to petitioners and individuals if they want to expedite the H1B petition application process. It is an extra benefit for petitioners to expedite the petition process. Our team of immigration experts predicts that for the FY 2025 H1B cap season, the premium processing service will be available for petitioners and individuals.
USCIS guarantees if petitioners opt for premium processing, it will process the application in 15 business days. Moreover, the fee for premium processing is $2805. This fee was increased from $2,500 on February 26, 2024.
Conclusion
The H1B registration application process happens once a year. So, it is recommended that petitioners and individuals collaborate well to register for the H1B lottery. The petitioner should avoid submitting duplicate H1B registrations; otherwise, it would lead to the cancellation of the application. Since the H1B lottery registration starts on 7th March, petitioners should start preparations early to avoid last-minute delays.
You can also use the Imagility H1B lottery app, which enables you to find eligible candidates and register seamlessly to the USCIS portal directly through the app. One of the remarkable features of the app is that if you get selected in the lottery, you can use the information already stored in the app to submit complete H1B visa petitions to USCIS. So, what are you waiting for? Download the app today and embark on a new H1B journey like never before.
