No H1B 2026 Second Round Lottery, Cap Reached. 120K Selected in Total

As many of you have been awaiting the announcement from USCIS on the second round lottery for the H1B Visa Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 season, they have made a press release today indicating that they have reached the H1B cap for FY 2026.

In this article, we will review what it means for current applicants who applied in the current H1B season and what to expect in the future, including an analysis of how many were selected by USCIS to reach the cap and other common FAQs.

Background: H1B Visa FY 2026 Season – First Round Lottery

• USCIS accepted H1B registrations for the H1B Visa FY 2026 season starting from March 7th, 2025, until March 24th, 2025.
• The H1B Lottery results for the FY 2026 season started to trickle down from March 27th, 2025, until March 31st, 2025.
• USCIS made an official announcement on March 31st, 2025, indicating that they have completed the first round lottery and have notified everyone who was selected in the initial selection process.
• Many applicants who were not selected in the first round of the H1B lottery have been waiting since then, holding on to a ray of hope for a second-round lottery.

Now that you have some background, let’s look at the USCIS press release summary

USCIS News Summary: H1B Visa 2026 Cap Reached

Below is the summary of the USCIS Press release and what it means for applicants of the H1B 2026 season:

• Received Enough Petitions for H1B FY 2026 Season: USCIS says that they have received the required number of H1B petitions to meet the congressionally mandated H1B cap for regular quota of 65,000 and US master’s quota of 20,000.
  • What it means is that a sufficient number of employers from the first round of H1B lottery selections filed a petition with USCIS so that if they process them they will be able to meet the H1B Cap of 65K for regular and 20K for masters quota.
• No Second Round Lottery: The concept of a second round H1B lottery comes into the picture only when USCIS does not receive a sufficient number of H1B petitions from the H1B lottery selections. This was the case during FY 2025, FY 2024, and in previous years. You can read H1B Cap Count Updates History, Lottery Rounds for more info. For FY 2026, as USCIS received a sufficient number of H-1 B petitions to meet the congressionally mandated cap, no second-round or third-round lottery will be conducted by USCIS.
• USCIS Continues to Accept Petitions for Extensions, Transfers, Cap Exempt: USCIS will only accept H1B petitions for anyone who were previously counted towards the cap or who are cap exempt as listed below
  • H1B Extensions – Anyone trying to extend their H1B beyond the initial 3 years
  • H1B Transers – Anyone trying to change employers due to job changes
  • H1B Amendments – Anyone with changes related to their employment terms, other changes.
  • H1B Cap Exempt – Anyone who is exempt from the H1B cap, either previously counted or part of a non-profit research institution or university.
  • H1B concurrent filings – Anyone applying to work concurrently for another H1B employer.

Analysis of Total H1B Lottery Selections for FY 2026

Below are the metrics related to the FY 2026 season :

• USCIS received a total of 358,737 H1B Registrations for FY 2026, of which 343,981 were technically eligible after removing duplicates, invalid registrations
• During the H1B FY 2026 season, USCIS selected 120,141 total H1B registrations to meet the H1B Cap. There were 118,660 unique H1B applicants in the selections. Basically, the number of people selected with more than one job offer drastically reduced this year due to the changes in the H1B Lottery selection process from FY 2025 Season.
• The applicants’ odds of selection for FY 2026 stood at 33.5% ( 120,141/358737). In simple terms, only one in three applicants got selected.
• The total number of unique employers for FY 2026 stood at 57,600. It went up from 52,700 last year for FY 2025.
• The number of applicants who filed H1B registrations with more than one job offer (more than one H1B registration submitted for them from different employers) went down from 47,314 in FY 2025 to 7,828 in FY 2026. This can indicate two things: either a tight labor market or a reduction in fraud registrations.

Below is the graph showing the total H1B Registrations Filings, and Selections for the last few years indicating the trend:

Below is the table with data corresponding to the above graph, which also shows the total number of H1B applicants with more than one H1B registration filed on their behalf.

• The most considerable obvious insight from the historical data above is the significant drop in H1B registration filings from the FY 2025 season due to the change in the H1B Lottery Selection Process.
• Additionally, the number of applicants filing more than one H1B registration has also significantly decreased due to changes in the lottery process and USCIS’s efforts to combat fraud, including an increase in the H1B registration fee.

You may also read Next Steps after H1B Visa Lottery

What does this announcement mean for FY 2026 Applicants?

If you were an applicant during the H1B FY 2026 season and submitted a registration with USCIS, and were not selected in the first round lottery done in March 2025, you are out of luck for this year.

• If you are someone who applied for H1B registration from outside the US, then you can try for H1B during the next H1B fiscal year 2027 that starts in March 2026.
• If you are an F1 Visa student on Optional Practical Training(OPT) and it is ending before March 2027, you must either leave the country or explore options to remain in the US. If you are eligible for STEM OPT, you can apply for the same and try your luck in the FY 2027 season. You can consult with an attorney to understand your situation and develop a plan.

Common FAQs

What do you think of not having a second round lottery for FY 2026? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.