USCIS completed the second H-1B lottery for Fiscal Year 2025 on August 5, 2024. Selected petitioners have a filing period from August 8 to November 7, 2024. This second lottery aims to fill the remaining H-1B visa quota after the initial selection process in March. This article provides key dates, results, and analysis of this second round.
This second round provides another chance for employers and beneficiaries not selected in the first H-1B lottery. Only registrations submitted during the initial registration period (March 6-25, 2024) were considered. Those selected now have a limited time to file their petitions, emphasizing the need for prompt action.
Why a Second Lottery?
High demand and an insufficient number of approved petitions from the first lottery necessitated the second round. The H-1B visa program, with an annual cap of 65,000 plus 20,000 for U.S. master’s degree holders, consistently sees applications exceeding available visas. This second lottery helps ensure the congressionally mandated quota is met. It provides a vital opportunity for both U.S. employers seeking specialized talent and foreign professionals eager to contribute their skills. However, the long-term effects of a two-stage selection process are still unclear and ongoing research aims to shed more light on its full impact. Some experts suggest it may create additional complexities for employers and employees, while others believe it offers a fairer system by providing a second chance. The future of the H-1B lottery system remains a topic of ongoing debate.
Timeline of Events
Event
Date(s)
Initial H-1B Registration
March 6-25, 2024
First Lottery Results & Filing Period
April 1 – June 30, 2024
Second Lottery Announcement
July 30, 2024
Second Lottery Selection Complete
August 5, 2024
Second Lottery Filing Period
August 8 – November 7, 2024
This table clearly outlines the H-1B lottery timeline, from initial registration to the final filing period for the second lottery selectees.
H-1B Visa Numbers and Trends
A total of 135,137 H-1B registrations were selected across both lotteries. The initial round selected approximately 120,603, with the second round adding another 14,534. While the official selection rate for FY 2025 is not yet public, we know the average number of registrations per beneficiary decreased to 1.06 in FY 2025, compared to 1.70 in FY 2024. This drop may suggest a higher overall selection rate, but this is speculative pending official data release from USCIS.
Fiscal Year
Average Registrations per Beneficiary
FY 2024
1.70
FY 2025
1.06
The “Improving the H-1B Selection Process and Program Integrity” rule, implemented in FY 2025, required applicants to provide passport information during registration and implemented a “one registration per person” rule to reduce duplicate entries. The long-term impacts of these changes are still being evaluated. Some experts believe these changes may have contributed to the need for a second lottery.
Looking Ahead
The two-stage lottery system presents new questions. Will second lotteries become the norm? How will this trend impact future application strategies? The significant number of selected registrations for FY 2025 highlights the ongoing need for specialized workers in the U.S. Ongoing research and future data will be crucial for understanding the full impact of this evolving process. This dynamic situation necessitates continuous monitoring, and this news source will provide further updates as more information becomes available.
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