USCIS performed an initial random selection of correctly filed electronic registrations for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 H-1B cap, including beneficiaries qualified for the advanced degree exemption, in March.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a second round of random lottery selection for H-1B visas for the fiscal year 2024 (which ends September 30, 2024).
USCIS performed an initial random selection of correctly filed electronic registrations for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 H-1B cap, including beneficiaries qualified for the advanced degree exemption, in March.
Petitioners with chosen registrations for FY 2024 are the only ones who can file H-1B cap-subject petitions. The initial filing period for those with chosen registrations for the fiscal year 2024 was from April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023.
Those who have been chosen will have their myUSCIS accounts updated with a selection notification that includes information on when and where to submit.
One of the reasons for a second round of the lottery could be a crackdown on ‘fraudulent practices,’ such as filing multiple H-1B cap registrations for the same beneficiary (prospective employee) by American sponsoring entities who were working together to increase the chances of such an individual winning the lottery.
For the first time in fiscal 2022, the United States supported several lotteries; however, due to the low number of visa applications eventually filed by American sponsoring businesses, a second lottery was held in July 2021, followed by yet another lottery in November 2021.
USCIS had received 7,58,994 eligible registrations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, H-1B cap season.
USCIS approved 1,10,791 registrations from this total to achieve the yearly threshold of 85,000.