H-1B Lottery Results 2026
What You Need To Know Right Now ?
Three things happened to the H-1B program between September 2025 and March 2026 that have never happened simultaneously before:
- a brand-new wage-weighted lottery replaced the random draw, a $100,000 supplemental fee was imposed on consular-processing petitions,
- and registration volume already collapsing after the 2024 fraud crackdown is expected to fall a further 30 to 40 percent.
The result is a cap season where your odds of selection depend almost entirely on your salary level, your visa pathway depends on whether you are already inside the United States, and the legal ground beneath all of it remains actively contested in three federal courts.
Whether you are an employer, an attorney, or a worker waiting on FY2027 results, this guide covers exactly what changed, what the numbers show, and what to do next.
When Exactly Will The H-1B lottery Results 2026 Come Out?
USCIS has officially stated it intends to send FY2027 H-1B cap selection notifications by March 31, 2026. Registration closed on March 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET, giving USCIS roughly twelve days to run the weighted selection algorithm and push notifications. In prior years USCIS has generally hit the stated deadline, though notifications sometimes trickle in over one to two days rather than arriving all at once.
How USCIS Delivers Results: Who Sees Them First and Why It Matters
- USCIS notifications are sent to the employer’s or attorney’s myUSCIS account not directly to the worker.
- If your employer is managing the registration through an outside immigration law firm, the firm’s account receives the notification first.
- Workers cannot check their H-1B registration status independently on USCIS.gov.
What this means in practice:
Instead of repeatedly checking the USCIS portal, it’s best to connect with your employer or attorney on or after March 31 for accurate updates.
The Seven Registration Statuses Explained
H-1B FY 2027 Timeline Explained: Registration to Start Date (Step-by-Step)
Source: USCIS official alert, Jan 30 2026 — uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/fy-2027-h-1b-cap-initial-registration-period-opens-on-march-4
H-1B Statistics FY 2021–2027: Comparing Filings, Master’s Cap, and Selection Rates
No other metric captures the H-1B program’s transformation more clearly than the six-year registration trend. The story begins with a program exploited by mass duplicate filings, peaks at near-800,000 registrations in FY2024, collapses under fraud controls in FY2025 and FY2026, and now faces further compression in FY2027 from a fee and a lottery structure that fundamentally change who participates.
3A — Year-over-year registration comparison
| Year | Registrations | Selected | Rate | Rounds | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2021 | 269,424 | ~124,000 | ~46% | 2 | Random |
| FY 2022 | 301,447 | ~132,000 | ~44% | 3 | Random |
| FY 2023 | 474,421 | ~128,000 | ~27% | 2 | Random |
| FY 2024 | 758,994 | ~188,000 | ~25% | 3 | Beneficiary-centric year 1 |
| FY 2025 | 470,342 | ~135,000 | ~29% | 2 | Beneficiary-centric year 2 |
| FY 2026 | 343,981 | ~120,000 | ~35% | 1 | Beneficiary-centric year 3 |
| FY 2027 | 200K–250K (est.) | ~85K–105K (est.) | 34–42% | TBD | Wage-weighted + $100K fee |
3B — The master’s cap breakdown: advanced degree holders face a hidden disadvantage
The H-1B cap contains two pools: 65,000 slots open to all eligible workers (regular cap) and an additional 20,000 slots reserved exclusively for workers who hold a U.S. master’s degree or higher (master’s cap). The two-step lottery gives advanced degree holders two chances at selection — they enter the regular cap draw first, and any unselected master’s registrations then enter an exclusive second draw for the 20,000 additional slots.
However, the wage-weighted system introduces a counterintuitive penalty. Because advanced degree holders often enter the workforce at entry-level positions despite their education, 36% of master’s cap petitions are at wage Level I — versus only 20% for regular cap petitions. Under the weighted lottery, a Level I registration receives just one entry in each draw, while a bachelor’s-holding Level III worker receives three entries.
| Wage level | Master’s cap % | Regular cap % | Selection odds | Weighted entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I (entry) | 36% | 20% | ~15% | 1 entry per draw |
| Level II (qualified) | 50% | 61% | ~31% | 2 entries per draw |
| Level III (experienced) | 11% | 13% | ~46% | 3 entries per draw |
| Level IV (expert) | 4% | 6% | ~61% | 4 entries per draw |
Wage-level distribution from DHS Final Rule (90 FR 60864, Dec 29 2025). Selection odds are DHS projections assuming ~280K registrations. Both lottery stages apply the same weighting.
3C — Selection probability by wage level: the new landscape
Under the old random lottery, every registrant had approximately the same odds — roughly 29–30% in a typical year. The wage-weighted system creates a fourfold spread. Here is how the numbers look across three registration-volume scenarios:
| Wage level | Old system | FY2027 @ 280K | FY2027 @ 250K | FY2027 @ 200K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I (1 entry) | ~29% | ~15% | ~17% | ~20% |
| Level II (2 entries) | ~29% | ~31% | ~33% | ~38% |
| Level III (3 entries) | ~29% | ~46% | ~48% | ~54% |
| Level IV (4 entries) | ~29% | ~61% | ~65% | ~75% |
DHS base projections from 90 FR 60864. Scenarios at 250K and 200K are probability based estimates.
DHS estimates approximately 10,099 annual visas will shift away from Level I workers. Level III gains an estimated 4,496 visas per year; Level IV gains 3,230. Penn Wharton Budget Model projects average H-1B compensation will rise from $112,309 to $121,863 (an 8.5% increase). However, Penn Wharton also warns that 61% of registrations could achieve a higher wage level through strategic reclassification, potentially undoing 42% of the expected compensation increase.
The $100,000 H-1B Fee Explained: Who Pays, Who’s Exempt, and What’s Next
The $100,000 supplemental H-1B fee was not passed by Congress. It was imposed by Presidential Proclamation 10973, signed September 19, 2025, under INA Section 212(f) the same authority used to restrict entry during national emergencies. The fee took effect September 21, 2025, and is scheduled to expire exactly one year later on September 21, 2026, unless the administration renews the proclamation.
Exact fee structure
The $100K fee does not apply to petitions where the beneficiary is already in the United States in lawful status and is requesting a change of status (rather than consular processing). This means most F-1 students graduating from U.S. universities and filing for H-1B status — the single largest group of H-1B applicants — are entirely exempt from the fee. This exemption covers roughly 54% of all H-1B cap petitions historically.
What to Do After H-1B Selection: Petition Filing, LCA, and Premium Processing Explained
Proactive Risk-Reduction Strategies
Selection in the lottery does not mean you have an H-1B visa. It means your employer is eligible to file an H-1B petition (Form I-129) during the filing window. Here is what needs to happen between April 1 and your October 1 employment start date.
Step 1: Labor Condition Application (LCA)
Before filing the petition, the employer must obtain a certified LCA from the Department of Labor. The LCA must specify the offered wage at or above the prevailing wage for the job and location. For FY2027, the LCA wage must be consistent with the OEWS wage level declared at registration , USCIS will verify the two align. Discrepancies can trigger denial or revocation even after approval.
Step 2: File Form I-129 – the H-1B petition
The filing window opens April 1, 2026, and closes no earlier than June 30, 2026. Petitions may be filed online or by paper. The earliest employment start date on the petition is October 1, 2026. Standard processing times range from 3 to 6 months.
Step 3: Premium processing
Premium processing guarantees a decision (approval, denial, or RFE) within 15 business days. The fee increased to $2,965 (up from $2,805) effective March 1, 2026, under the USCIS Stabilization Act’s CPI-U inflation adjustment. If USCIS issues an RFE, the clock stops and resets once the employer responds.
Cap-gap protection for F-1/OPT students
F-1 students whose OPT employment authorization expires before October 1 are covered by cap-gap if their employer timely filed an H-1B change-of-status petition before OPT expiration. Under the updated H-1B rule, cap-gap now extends both F-1 status and OPT employment authorization through April 1, 2027 – the start of the fiscal year for which H-1B status is being requested – or until USCIS acts on the petition, whichever comes first. Note: cap-gap applies only to change-of-status petitions; consular processing petitions do not qualify.
Not Selected in the H-1B Lottery? Options for FY 2027 and Alternative Visa Pathways
Will there be a second lottery round for FY2027?
FY2026 required only one lottery round the first time since FY2023. USCIS reaches the 85,000 cap only when enough selected registrants actually file petitions. If FY2027 registrations fall to the projected 200,000–250,000 range, a second round is considered unlikely unless a court injunction blocks the $100K fee, prompting a sudden surge in consular petitions.
Alternative visa pathways
H-1B Lottery Results 2026: Key Questions Answered
Q1. When will USCIS announce FY2027 H-1B lottery results?
USCIS officially intends to send FY2027 H-1B cap selection notifications by March 31, 2026. Notifications are delivered to the employer’s or attorney’s myUSCIS online account workers do not receive direct notification and cannot check their own status on USCIS.gov. In prior years, USCIS has generally met the stated deadline, with notifications arriving over one to two business days rather than all at once. If you are a worker waiting on results, your fastest path is to contact your employer or immigration attorney on or after March 31.
The overall FY2027 selection rate is estimated at 34 to 42 percent, compared to 35.3 percent in FY2026. However, under the new wage-weighted lottery, your individual odds now depend entirely on your offered wage level: Level I (entry) positions face approximately 15 percent odds; Level II (qualified) roughly 31 percent; Level III (experienced) approximately 46 percent; and Level IV (expert/fully competent) approximately 61 percent. These are DHS projections assuming roughly 340,000 registrations. If FY2027 registrations fall to 200,000 as some analysts project, Level IV odds could approach 75 to 80 percent.
No — the $100,000 fee does not apply to change-of-status petitions. The fee, imposed by Presidential Proclamation 10973 (September 19, 2025), applies only to petitions where the beneficiary is outside the United States and requires consular processing. F-1 students who are already inside the United States and applying to change status to H-1B are entirely exempt. Historically, approximately 54 percent of all H-1B cap petitions are change-of-status filings, meaning a majority of applicants are unaffected by the fee. Extensions, renewals, and H-1B transfers are also exempt.
The H-1B petition filing window opens April 1, 2026 and closes no earlier than June 30, 2026. USCIS is required by law to provide a minimum 90-day filing window. The exact closing date will be stated in the cap selection notices sent by March 31. Petitions cannot be filed before April 1 regardless of when selection notifications arrive. Premium processing is available from day one of the filing window, at a fee of $2,965 for a 15-business-day decision guarantee.
USCIS has not yet published official FY2027 registration data registration closed on March 19, 2026, and USCIS typically releases the full statistics weeks after selections are made. Expert projections estimate FY2027 registrations at 200,000 to 250,000 down from 343,981 confirmed eligible registrations in FY2026. This would represent a further 27 to 42 percent decline from FY2026, and a 67 to 74 percent decline from the FY2024 peak of 758,994. The statutory annual cap of 85,000 (65,000 regular + 20,000 master’s) remains unchanged.
Master’s degree holders get two chances at selection: they enter the regular cap draw (65,000 slots) first, and any unselected master’s registrations then enter an exclusive second draw for 20,000 additional slots. However, the wage-weighted system introduces a significant complication: 36 percent of master’s cap petitions are at wage Level I (entry level), compared to only 20 percent of regular cap petitions. A Level I master’s holder receives just one weighted entry in each draw the same as a bachelor’s-holding Level I worker. A bachelor’s-holding Level III worker, by contrast, gets three entries per draw. The wage-weighted system applies equally to both lottery stages, as confirmed by DHS in the final rule (90 FR 60864).
A second lottery round is possible but considered unlikely under current projections. FY2026 required only one round the first time since FY2023 because registration numbers had fallen enough that 35.3 percent of registrants could be selected and still reach the 85,000 cap through petition filings. If FY2027 registrations fall to 200,000 to 250,000 as projected, USCIS may again fill the cap in a single round. The main wildcard: if a court injunction blocks the $100,000 consular fee before the filing window closes, a surge of previously deferred consular petitions could prompt USCIS to run a supplemental selection.
How Can Kodem Law Help You?
Long-term immigration compliance is not a one-time filing obligation but an ongoing corporate responsibility that must align with business growth, workforce planning, and organizational changes. As companies promote employees, restructure teams, expand into new locations, or undergo mergers and acquisitions, immigration implications often arise. Without proactive oversight, routine internal decisions can unintentionally create compliance risks.
Kodem Law partners with employers to implement structured immigration governance frameworks, conduct compliance audits, review petitions before filing to identify potential risk areas, advise during corporate restructuring, develop amendment and extension strategies, and prepare strategic responses to Requests for Evidence (RFEs), Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs), and Motions to Reopen or Reconsider (MTRs). By aligning green card planning with retention goals and strengthening documentation at every stage, our approach focuses on prevention rather than reaction helping reduce RFEs, minimize denial risks, and protect long-term business continuity.
Disclaimer
The material provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute a comprehensive solution to any specific legal issue. The information is accurate as of the date of the presentation; however, laws and regulations may change over time, and the content may become outdated.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. All data points are sourced from official USCIS announcements, federal rulemaking, and verified immigration attorney analysis. Immigration law is subject to change please consult a licensed immigration attorney for guidance specific to your circumstances. © Kodem Law 2026.