H-1B Visa FY2027: USCIS Fills 85,000 Vacant Slots, No Second Lottery Planned | Today’s news

The United States has officially reached its H-1B visa cap for fiscal year (FY) 2027, with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) noting that it has received enough petitions to fill all 85,000 available visas. And therefore, there will be no second H-1B lottery for FY2027.

Employers whose registrants were selected in the initial H-1B lottery were required to submit complete applications by June 30, 2026. Approved recipients within this limit will be eligible to begin U.S. employment beginning October 1, 2026, the first day of fiscal year 2027.

This comes after USCIS announced in May that 211,600 H-1B registrations were properly filed for FY2027, a 38.5% decrease from the 343,981 registrations received for FY2026.

What’s new in FY2027

The FY2027 H-1B cap season also marked a major shift in how applicants are selected. Instead of a traditional random lottery, USCIS used a weighted selection system that prioritizes higher-income job offers.

Under the new rules, registrations tied to higher wages were given a better chance of selection based on the Department of Labor’s prevailing wage system at four levels of the Employment and Wages Statistics (OEWS).

According to data released by USCIS in May:

• 71.5% of selected foreign nationals had a US college degree, compared to 57% in FY2026.
• Only 17.7% of the selected registrations fell into the lowest wage category (OEWS Level 1).

USCIS has not yet released the full FY2027 H-1B cap statistics, including the overall selection rate. The agency said more data could be released in the coming days or weeks.

What are H-1B visas and who uses them?

Created by the Immigration Act of 1990, they are a type of nonimmigrant visa designed to allow American companies to bring in people with technical skills that are hard to find in the United States. Visas are not intended for people who want to stay permanently. Some eventually do, but only after transitioning to different immigration statuses.

The H-1B allows employers to hire foreign workers who have specialized skills and a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. They are valid for 3 years and can be extended for another 3 years. Stephen Brown of Capital Economics estimated last year that there are about 700,000 H-1B visa holders in the United States, along with another 500,000 dependents.

According to the Pew Research Center, at least 60% of H-1B visas approved since 2012 were for computer-related jobs. But hospitals, banks, universities, and a whole host of other employers can and do apply for H-1B visas.

The number of new visas issued annually is limited to 65,000, plus an additional 20,000 for those with a master’s degree or higher. These visas are awarded through a lottery. Some employers, such as universities and nonprofit organizations, are exempt from the limits.