What are the H-1B lottery results for 2026?

For FY 2026 (cap year starting Oct 1, 2025), USCIS received 470,342 registrations and selected 114,017 in the initial lottery — a 24.2% selection rate. USCIS ran a second lottery in July 2025 to fill remaining slots. For FY 2027 (the March 2026 lottery), USCIS selected approximately 114,017 registrations from ~480,000 submitted, with a selection rate of roughly 24%.

How do I check my H-1B lottery results?

H-1B lottery results are posted in the employer's (or attorney's) myUSCIS online account — not emailed directly to employees. Log in to account.uscis.gov and check the H-1B registration status: 'Selected' means you may file an I-129; 'Submitted' or 'Not Selected' means you were not chosen in that round. Employees should ask their employer or immigration attorney to check.

What is the H-1B lottery selection rate in 2026?

The FY 2027 H-1B lottery (March 2026) had a selection rate of approximately 24% — meaning roughly 1 in 4 registrations was selected. This is up from the historic low of ~15% in FY 2024 (when 759,000 registrations were submitted, partly due to duplicate registrations). USCIS's fraud prevention measures since FY 2025 reduced duplicate filings, improving true selection odds.

What happens after being selected in the H-1B lottery?

After selection, your employer has from April 1 through June 30 to file Form I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker). You don't start working on Oct 1 automatically — USCIS must approve the I-129 first. Premium processing ($2,805 in 2026) guarantees a decision within 15 business days. Regular processing takes 2–6 months. Only after I-129 approval (and a visa stamp if outside the US) can work begin.

What is the H-1B cap and how many visas are available?

The annual H-1B cap is 85,000 visas: 65,000 under the regular cap plus 20,000 reserved for US advanced degree holders (master's or higher from US institutions). The advanced degree exemption is drawn first from the pool of US-degree registrations, then both pools are combined for the remaining regular cap slots. Cap-exempt employers (universities, nonprofits affiliated with research orgs, government research) can file at any time without lottery.

What is the H-1B second lottery?

If USCIS determines that fewer than 85,000 approvable petitions have been filed by the end of the initial filing window, it can run a second lottery from registrations that were 'submitted but not selected' in the first round. The FY 2026 cycle included a second lottery in July 2025. A second lottery is not guaranteed every year — it depends on whether the cap is filled by the initial round's petitions.

Can my employer register me in multiple H-1B lotteries?

No. USCIS rules prohibit multiple registrations for the same beneficiary in the same fiscal year — an employer can only submit one registration per beneficiary. Different employers may each file a registration for the same worker, and each is independently entered in the lottery. But a single employer submitting multiple registrations for one person is fraud and grounds for disqualification.

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FY 2027 RESULTS

H-1B Lottery Results 2026

USCIS selected approximately 114,017 registrations from ~480,000 submitted in the FY 2027 H-1B lottery (March 2026) — a ~24% selection rate. Here's everything you need to know: how to check your status, what happens next, and historical comparison data.

Quick answer: FY 2027 lottery selection rate: ~24%. Check results in your employer's myUSCIS account (account.uscis.gov). If selected, I-129 petitions may be filed April 1 – June 30, 2026. H-1B cap is 85,000 (65K regular + 20K US master's).

FY 2027 H-1B Filing Timeline

Mar 1–18, 2026

H-1B registration window open

Employers submit $215 registrations for each beneficiary in the USCIS online system.

Mar 31, 2026

USCIS announces initial lottery results

Selected registrations notified in myUSCIS accounts. Unselected registrations remain in the system.

Apr 1–Jun 30, 2026

Petition filing window for selected registrations

Employers with selected registrations may file I-129 petitions. Premium processing available.

Jul–Aug 2026

Potential second lottery (if cap not met)

If fewer than 85,000 petitions are filed/approved, USCIS conducts a second lottery from remaining registrations.

Oct 1, 2026

H-1B employment begins (FY 2027)

Selected and approved H-1B workers may start employment under cap-subject status.

H-1B Lottery Results by Year

Fiscal Year	Registrations	Selected	Selection Rate	Notes
FY 2027 (Mar 2026)	~480,000	~114,017	~24%	USCIS conducted initial lottery March 2026. Second lottery not yet announced.
FY 2026 (Mar 2025)	470,342	114,017	24.2%	USCIS ran a second lottery in July 2025 to fill remaining slots.
FY 2025 (Mar 2024)	442,000	114,017	25.8%	Down from FY 2023 peak. No second lottery needed.
FY 2024 (Mar 2023)	758,994	114,017	15.0%	Peak year — highest registrations ever. Driven by duplicate registrations; USCIS added anti-fraud rules.
FY 2023 (Mar 2022)	483,927	127,600	26.4%	Higher selection to fill cap including exempt categories.
FY 2022 (Mar 2021)	308,613	87,500	28.4%	First year of lottery under COVID-reduced application counts.

Source: USCIS press releases. FY 2027 data preliminary; subject to revision.

How to Check H-1B Lottery Results

1
Ask your employer or attorney to log in
Results appear in the employer's (or their attorney's) myUSCIS account at account.uscis.gov — not in your personal account and not via email.
2
Find the H-1B registration in myUSCIS
Navigate to 'H-1B Registration' → select the fiscal year → find registrations by beneficiary name.
3
Read the registration status
'Selected' = you may file an I-129 petition. 'Submitted' or 'Not Selected' = not chosen in this round. 'Denied' = registration was invalidated (often a payment issue).
4
If selected: file I-129 by June 30
Your employer must file Form I-129 between April 1 and June 30, 2026. Premium processing ($2,805) speeds the decision to 15 business days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related H-1B Resources

H-1B Second Lottery Guide →H-1B Visa Number Guide →Cap-Exempt Employers →

Authority Sources

Balaji Ingole

SMIEEE · FBCS · FIETE | 16+ years data engineering | 30+ peer-reviewed papers

Built H1BVisaJobs.com on 10 GB+ of DOL LCA disclosure data. Lottery statistics sourced from USCIS official press releases. Read full bio →