On July 30, 2024, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a second random selection process (H-1B lottery) for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B regular cap. This comes after the initial random selection conducted in March, which included beneficiaries eligible for the regular cap (bachelor’s degree) and for the advanced degree exemption, commonly known as the master’s cap and for those who earned a master’s degree from the US.
The chances of being selected in the second H-1B lottery drawing are slim compared to the initial H-1B lottery drawing. This year, USCIS selected 120,603 unique registrations from the total of 479,953 registrations.
Initial Selection and Filing Period
In March, USCIS completed its initial random selection of properly submitted electronic registrations for the FY 2025 H-1B cap. Petitioners with selected registrations were eligible to file H-1B cap-subject petitions during the designated filing period from April 1 through June 30, 2024.
Need for a Second Selection
Despite the initial selection process, USCIS has determined that additional registrations are needed to meet the H-1B FY 2025 regular cap numerical allocation. Consequently, a second random selection will soon take place. This selection will be conducted from the pool of previously submitted H-1B electronic registrations and will focus on thebeneficiaries who were not chosen in the initial round.
What to Expect
- Second Selection Process under the Regular Cap: USCIS will soon begin the second round of random selection for only the regular bachelor’s cap and they will considered all registrations, including those who were eligible under the master’s cap and the regular bachelor’s cap for beneficiaries from the pool of previously submitted electronic registrations.
- Notification: Prospective petitioners with selected registrations from this second round will be notified of their eligibility to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for the beneficiary named in the applicable selected registration.
- No Second Selection for Master’s Cap: It is important to note that there will be no second selection for the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap). USCIS received sufficient petitions from the initial selection to meet the FY 2025 master’s cap numerical allocation.
Next Steps for Selected Registrations
USCIS will announce the completion of the second selection process and the subsequent notifications. Petitioners should monitor their USCIS online accounts for updates and be prepared to file their petitions as instructed in the selection notice.