It’s always good to look through recent trends before embarking on any new venture. So, if you are a entering the H-1B lottery this year (FY2023), history, and recent trends would surely help you plan your strategy to apply.
What has not changed:
- The annual H-1B visa limit is 85,000
- 65,000 for the regular cap and 20,000 for the master’s cap
- 6,800 set aside in regular cap for citizens of Chile and Singapore under the H1-B1 visa.
- Exceptions to the H-1B visa cap include people entering the U.S. to work in higher education or affiliated research/non-profit organizations
FY 2021-22
In the initial FY 2022 lottery in March 2021, USCIS drew just 87,500 of 308,613 registrations to meet the 85,000 quota, or 28% of the total number of registrations. Though there were two more draws to pick more registrations to meet the 85,000 quota, the selection rate at the end stands at a 43% for FY 2022.
Some trends based on the recently published numbers by USCIS for FY 2023.
- Number of Registered Companies Decreased by 8%: It could be interpreted as fewer employers willing to sponsor work visas or employers not filing duplicate registrations.
- Number of Registrations up by 13%: This could be attributed to the ease of registering employees through the online system.
- Number of Selections Decreased by 7%: USCIS selected 7% fewer registrations in 2021 (for FY 2022) than they had in 2020 (for FY 2021).
- USCIS might always run a second Lottery: USCIS has run two lotteries since the last two years.
- Proposed New Rule: H-1B Lottery Based on Wage Levels: Delayed by the Biden administration, not applicable for FY 2022 season.
Based on all these trends, for FY 2023, the number of registrations is expected to only increase due to the simplified registration process. Stay informed and prepare yourself for the upcoming lottery season. Good Luck!
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