The second lottery is being held because the number of petitions submitted during the initial phase did not fulfill the numerical allocation for the regular H-1B cap.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a second round of random selection for H-1B visa applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2025. The initial period did not fulfill the numerical quota for the regular H-1B cap and the advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap. Selected individuals were permitted to file their H-1B petitions from April 1 to June 30, 2024.
The second lottery is being held because the petitions received during the initial period fell short of the numerical quota for the regular H-1B cap. As a result, there are still slots available under the regular cap, allowing for additional registrations to be selected.
Who qualifies?
The second round will randomly draw from the pool of previously submitted electronic registrations to select additional entries. This includes candidates eligible for the regular cap and those who had indicated eligibility for the master’s cap. However, the master’s cap is not included in this second selection, as the initial round already met its quota for this category.
No master’s cap visas available
The master’s cap, which allocates 20,000 H-1B visas to foreign workers holding a Master’s or advanced degree from a US institution, will not be included in the second selection. The initial lottery has already reached the full quota for this category, meaning no further master’s cap visas will be issued in the second round.
Overview of the H-1B Visa Program
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant, employment-based visa that permits US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations, including fields like science and information technology. Major Indian IT firms such as TCS, Infosys, and Wipro are significant beneficiaries of this program, using it to bring thousands of employees with specialized skills to the US each year. Out of the 85,000 H-1B visas issued annually, a substantial portion is granted to Indian nationals.
How the H-1B Lottery System Operates
Each year, the US government issues 85,000 H-1B work permits. Of these, 65,000 are designated for individuals in specialty occupations, while the remaining 20,000 are reserved for those with a Master’s or higher degree from a US institution. Employers seeking to hire a worker on an H-1B visa must submit a registration form that includes details about the employee’s qualifications, job role, and offered wage. Because the number of applications often exceeds the number of available visas, USCIS employs a randomized lottery system to select eligible applicants. This lottery is entirely random and does not take into account factors such as wages, skills, or employer needs.
The second lottery provides a new opportunity for those who were not selected in the initial round, offering a chance to fill the remaining regular cap slots for FY 2025.
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