H-1B Lottery and Historical Data

This article discusses the evolution of the H-1B lottery and provides historical data from the past five years, helping you understand the changes in H-1B selection rates.

From No Lottery to Lottery

The H-1B visa program, started in 1990, originally had a yearly limit of 65,000 visas, plus an extra 20,000 for foreign workers with master’s or doctoral degrees from U.S. universities.

Over the years, the program has changed several times. In 2004, the limit was temporarily raised to 195,000 visas per year, but it has since been reduced to the current cap of 85,000 visas annually.

Before 2019, H-1B applications required submitting all necessary materials upfront. Since 2020, a new process has been in place: employers must first complete an online registration for applicants, pay a $10 registration fee, and wait for the lottery results before submitting the official application materials. This change has lowered the initial barrier for H-1B applications, leading to the abuse of multiple registrations per person. As a result, there is now a significant gap between the number of lottery selections and the actual applications submitted, resulting in the need for a second round of the H-1B lottery.

Second-Round H-1B Lottery

When the number of H-1B applications submitted after the initial lottery does not meet the annual quota of 85,000 visas, USCIS may conduct additional rounds of lotteries.

For example, in 2023, despite selecting 110,791 applications in the first round in March, the phenomenon of multiple registrations per person led to a final submission count below the 85,000 cap. Consequently, USCIS held a second lottery in July.

The second-round lottery does not require a new application. Applicants who submitted their applications in March but were not selected are automatically entered into the second-round lottery. However, those who did not submit an application in March are ineligible.

H-1B Data

According to USCIS reports, the vast majority of H-1B visa holders work in the tech industry. Statistics show that over 70% of these visas are issued for tech-related occupations. Major sponsors of H-1B visas include well-known tech companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. Additionally, Indian consulting companies (commonly referred to as "ICCs") are also significant contributors to the H-1B pool. In fact, India is the primary source of H-1B visa holders, accounting for over 70% of all applications.

In previous years, some companies outside the U.S. often submitted multiple applications for the same individual. This prevented many international students in the U.S. from obtaining an H-1B visa, even with a 3-year STEM OPT. In the first round of the 2024 fiscal year lottery, the selection rate reached a historic low. According to The Washington Post, out of 780,000 registrations, around 400,000 were duplicates.

To address this growing problem, USCIS implemented the "One Registration Per Person" policy in 2024, which aims to make the H-1B lottery process fairer. Under the new policy, even if you have multiple employers, you can only submit one application. 

*Lottery data from the past five fiscal years（Source: USCIS Website）

*Top 10 H-1B Employers in the U.S. for 2024 (Source: H1BInfo.org)

*Top 10 H-1B Jobs in the U.S. for 2024 (Source: H1BInfo.org)