Key Points
- USCIS received enough H-1B registrations to meet the FY 2026 cap, including the advanced degree exemption.
- Petitioners for selected beneficiaries may begin filing H-1B petitions starting April 1, 2025.
- Petitions must include the selection notice and a valid passport or travel document used during registration.
Overview
On March 31, 2025, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it had received enough registrations to meet the H-1B CAP for Fiscal Year 2026. This includes the advanced degree exemption or Master’s CAP.
The H-1B CAP Lottery is a lottery process in which USCIS randomly selects enough beneficiaries with properly submitted registrations. Selected beneficiaries may file their H-1B CAP petition with USCIS starting April 1, 2025.
An H-1B cap-subject petition can be filed at the correct filing location or online at my.uscis.gov and within the filing period indicated on the relevant selection notice. The period for filing the H-1B cap-subject petition will be at least 90 days. Petitioners must include a copy of the applicable selection notice with the FY 2026 H-1B cap-subject petition. Petitioners must also submit evidence of the beneficiary’s valid passport or travel document used at the time of registration to identify the beneficiary.
This chart shows registration and selection numbers for fiscal years 2021-2025:
Cap Fiscal Year
Total Registrations
Eligible Registrations*
Eligible Registrations for Beneficiaries with No Other Eligible Registrations
Eligible Registrations for Beneficiaries with Multiple Eligible Registrations
Selected Registrations
2021
274,237
269,424
241,299
28,125
124,415
2022
308,613
301,447
211,304
90,143
131,924
2023
483,927
474,421
309,241
165,180
127,600
2024
780,884
758,994
350,103
408,891
188,400*
2025
479,953
470,342
423,028
47,314
135,137**
*The number of initial selections for FY 2024 – 110,791 – was smaller than in prior years primarily due to (a) establishing a higher anticipated petition filing rate by selected registrants based on prior years and (b) higher projected Department of State approvals of H-1B1 visas, which count against the H-1B cap.
**The number of initial selections for FY 2025 – 120,603 – was smaller than in prior years primarily due to establishing a higher anticipated petition filing rate based on the beneficiary-centric selection process (that is, selection by unique beneficiary). USCIS selected the number of unique beneficiaries projected as needed to reach the congressionally mandated caps and exemptions. All correctly submitted registrations for selected beneficiaries were set to a preferred status. Accordingly, the number of registrations chosen was higher than the number of designated beneficiaries, and this number is not entirely comparable to prior years that used a direct registration selection method.
Looking Ahead
Employers should prepare to file selected H-1B petitions promptly during the designated period and ensure all required documentation is included. USCIS is expected to continue using the beneficiary-centric selection process, which may influence employer registration strategies in future cap seasons. Ongoing attention to policy updates, especially regarding online filing systems, is recommended. For the latest guidance and updates, consult with immigration counsel or visit USCIS.gov.
Content in this publication is for informational purposes only and not intended as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. If you want guidance on how this information may impact your particular situation and are a client of the Corporate Immigration Partners, PC, consult your attorney. If you are not a CIP client, consult another qualified professional. This website does not create an attorney-client relationship with CIP.
