The H-1B Visa Cap Has Been Met
The fiscal year begins when the electronic registration window opens. At that time, registrants may file a petition requesting an H-1B visa. Congress mandated a cap of 65,000; if that number is met, a lottery takes place at the end of the registration window. A second lottery takes place for advanced degree holders not selected in the first round. Of those applicants, 20,000 more are chosen.
Out of that number, 6,800 visas are given by default to Chile and Singapore applicants, per the terms of the free trade agreements between the US and those two countries.
USCIS reported that FY 2024’s cap was met and exceeded. That means tens of thousands of employers are waiting for the lottery results to see if they can start the process of hiring a foreign worker under an H-1B visa.
Selections Are Finished
The random lottery selection process is complete. All registrations that were chosen have been notified. However, that doesn’t guarantee the registrant will receive a visa.
Lottery selection allows the applicant the eligibility status necessary to proceed in the petition process and file an H-1B cap-subject request.
The beneficiary (foreign worker) on the initial registration must meet the strict skills and background screening requirements before they are given a visa. Additionally, the employer undergoes thorough checks to ensure the job is legitimate and meets the standards required by the Department of Labor to qualify as a skilled job vacancy.
Not all registrations selected in the lottery will make it through the challenging process. Those unused visas become part of the next fiscal year’s cap total.
What’s Next?
If you filed an electronic registration and want to know the status, you can log in to the same portal using your credentials. Note: Only sponsors can access these portals. Beneficiaries must go through their sponsors to find out if they were selected.
Selected or not, your next steps are important. Our legal immigration professionals at Visa2US are ready to help you file your petition or determine what to do if you were not selected.
FY2024 was projected to have the highest number of registrations in history, which did not disappoint. That means thousands of people are waiting for their visas or trying to find another way into the US.
Let us guide you through the legal immigration regulations as you complete the cumbersome paperwork to obtain your H-1B visa. Our friendly experts at Visa2US are here 24/7 to answer your questions.
