USCIS to Hold Second H-1B Visa Lottery Round for FY 2024

In a surprising development, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has declared a second round of random lottery selection for the highly sought-after H-1B visas in the fiscal year 2024.

This move comes as the USCIS identified the need for “additional registrations” to fulfil the numerical allocations for the year, potentially opening up more opportunities for professionals seeking to work in the United States.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables U.S. companies to hire foreign workers in specialized occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Particularly, technology giants rely on these visas to bring in tens of thousands of skilled employees from countries like India and China each year.

Initial Lottery Selection in March 2023

Back in March, the USCIS conducted the first random selection of electronic registrations for the FY 2024 H-1B cap, which included beneficiaries eligible for the advanced degree exemption.

Only those with selected registrations were allowed to file H-1B cap-subject petitions, and the filing period for them was open from April 1 to June 30, 2023.

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Second Lottery Round for Additional Opportunities

The USCIS has now confirmed the requirement for additional registrations to fulfil the numerical allocations for FY 2024. To select these registrations, the USCIS will employ a random selection process from the previously submitted electronic entries.

While the exact number of additional registrations needed and the timeline for the second selection process remain undisclosed, all prospective petitioners with selected registrations will be notified, making them eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for the beneficiary.

Maximizing H-1B Quotas

Congress has mandated that the USCIS can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visas each year. Additionally, it has the authority to grant an additional 20,000 H-1B visas to foreign students who have completed higher studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects from U.S. universities.

The H-1B visa program plays a crucial role in sustaining the U.S. tech industry’s workforce and attracting top talent from across the globe. With the second lottery round offering hope to many aspiring professionals, the tech industry is eagerly awaiting the USCIS’s announcement of the selected registrations.

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Professionals around the world now eagerly await the outcome, keeping their fingers crossed for a chance to pursue their American dreams through the coveted H-1B visa program.