H-1B visa FY2027: USCIS fills 85,000 available slots, no second lottery planned

H-1B Visa FY2027: USCIS Allocates All 85,000 Slots, No Additional Lottery Scheduled

H 1B visa FY2027 – The United States has met the H-1B visa limit for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed it received sufficient applications to occupy all 85,000 available positions. This means no second round of the H-1B lottery will be conducted for the upcoming fiscal year.

Employers who secured spots in the first selection phase had until June 30, 2026, to submit full petitions. Once approved, beneficiaries will be able to begin working in the U.S. from October 1, 2026, which marks the start of FY2027. The initial registration numbers for FY2027 were 211,600, a 38.5% drop from the 343,981 submissions in FY2026.

Shift in Selection Process

The FY2027 H-1B season introduced a notable change in how candidates were chosen. Previously, a random lottery determined selections, but this year, USCIS implemented a weighted system that prioritizes applicants with higher-paying job offers.

According to data released by USCIS in May: 71.5% of selected foreign nationals held a U.S. advanced degree, compared with 57% in FY2026. Only 17.7% of selected registrations fell under the lowest wage category (OEWS Level 1).

The agency has not yet released full statistics on the FY2027 cap, including the overall selection rate. Additional details may be published in the near future.

Understanding H-1B Visas

Established under the 1990 Immigration Act, H-1B visas are nonimmigrant permits that enable American companies to hire workers with specialized technical skills. These visas are not designed for permanent residency, though some recipients may later transition to other immigration statuses.

Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in their field of expertise. Each visa is valid for three years and can be renewed for another three-year period. Stephen Brown of Capital Economics noted that approximately 700,000 H-1B visa holders resided in the U.S. last year, alongside an additional 500,000 dependents.

At least 60% of approved H-1B visas since 2012 have been for computer-related roles, per the Pew Research Centre. However, a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance, education, and others, also utilize these visas. The annual cap is set at 65,000 visas, with an extra 20,000 reserved for those holding a master’s degree or higher. Certain entities, like universities and nonprofits, are exempt from these limits.