The H-1B lottery window for Fiscal Year 2027 is closed.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed on 17 July 2026 that it has received enough petitions to meet the congressionally mandated cap of 85,000 H-1B visas for FY2027, including both the 65,000 regular cap and the 20,000 advanced-degree exemption known as the master’s cap. No second round of selections will be held.
“US Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for fiscal year 2027,” USCIS said in a statement on 17 July.
For Indian professionals who were not selected in this year’s lottery, the next opportunity to enter the H-1B cap lottery is March 2027, for FY2028. USCIS has not released the full selection rate data for FY2027, but limited data shared via social media in May 2026 showed that total registrations fell by 38.5% compared to FY2026, from 343,981 to 211,600.
What the cap being reached means
USCIS conducted the FY2027 H-1B cap lottery in March 2026 and notified all selected registrants through the myUSCIS portal on 31 March 2026. Employers had from 1 April to 30 June 2026, approximately 90 days, to file Form I-129 petitions on behalf of selected workers.
The confirmation on 17 July that the cap has been reached means USCIS received enough eligible petitions during that filing window to fill all 85,000 available visas. USCIS will not make any further selections from the remaining unselected registrations. Registrations that were not selected and not previously updated to “Not Selected” will now reflect that status.
In some prior years, USCIS conducted a second lottery when the initial filing period did not produce enough eligible petitions to fill the cap. That happened in FY2025, when USCIS held a second lottery in July 2024. It did not happen in FY2026 and will not happen in FY2027.
The new weighted lottery: what changed in FY2027
The FY2027 H-1B cap was notable for introducing a significant structural change to the lottery itself. The traditional random lottery was replaced by a new weighted selection system that assigns additional lottery entries to beneficiaries based on their salary level relative to the Department of Labour’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics prevailing wage levels.
Under the weighted system, workers offered salaries at higher OEWS wage levels received more entries into the lottery, improving their odds of selection relative to lower-wage applicants.
The data released by USCIS in May 2026 showed the effect of the new system on the selection pool. In FY2027, 71.5% of selected foreign nationals held a US advanced degree, compared to 57% in FY2026. Only 17.7% of all selected registrations in FY2027 were in the lowest-wage category, OEWS Level 1, compared with a significantly higher proportion in prior years.
What is the H-1B visa?
What is the H-1B visa?
The H-1B is a non-immigrant work visa that allows US companies to employ foreign nationals in specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. It is valid for three years and can be extended to six years. USCIS is authorised to issue 65,000 new H-1B cap-subject visas each fiscal year, plus an additional 20,000 for applicants holding advanced degrees from US institutions. Because demand significantly exceeds supply, USCIS conducts an annual lottery among all eligible registrations. Indian nationals account for approximately 70 to 75% of all H-1B approvals annually, making them the largest single nationality in the programme. The H-1B fiscal year runs from 1 October to 30 September.
What the weighted lottery means for Indian applicants
Indian nationals have historically dominated H-1B approvals, accounting for between 70 and 75% of all approved visas in most recent years. Under the old random lottery, the sheer volume of Indian registrations gave Indian applicants roughly proportional odds.
The weighted salary system changes the calculus. Indian applicants offered salaries at OEWS Level 3 or Level 4, the higher wage tiers, receive more lottery entries and therefore improved selection odds. Indian applicants offered entry-level or mid-level salaries at OEWS Level 1 or Level 2, who would typically be at the start of their careers, face lower selection odds than under the old random system.
The 38.5% drop in total registrations in FY2027 compared to FY2026 may itself reflect the weighted system’s effect: employers who would previously have registered lower-wage candidates may have assessed their odds as insufficient to justify the registration fee and chose not to participate.
USCIS has not released a full nationality breakdown of FY2027 selections. Until that data is published, the specific impact on Indian applicants cannot be precisely calculated. What is confirmed is that higher-wage, US-advanced-degree holders were more likely to be selected than in prior years, and that this structural shift will persist in future lotteries.
What cap-exempt petitions mean
The H-1B cap confirmation affects only cap-subject petitions. Cap-exempt petitions, those filed on behalf of workers at qualifying institutions of higher education, non-profit research organisations or government research organisations, are not subject to the annual cap and can be filed at any time. Workers already in H-1B status with a different employer can also transfer their status through an employer change without entering the cap lottery.
Workers on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT who were not selected in this year’s lottery and whose work authorisation is due to expire should consult an immigration attorney about maintaining lawful status during the gap between their current authorisation period and the next possible H-1B start date of 1 October 2027.
What comes next
The FY2028 H-1B cap lottery registration window is expected to open in March 2027. USCIS will announce the exact registration dates in advance. Employers and prospective H-1B beneficiaries who were not selected in the FY2027 lottery should begin planning their FY2028 registrations now, including identifying qualifying positions, determining the appropriate OEWS wage level, and ensuring documentation is in order well ahead of the March window.
The next H-1B cap start date is 1 October 2026, when FY2027 H-1B employment begins for those selected and approved in this cycle.
What Indian professionals not selected in FY2027 need to know
My H-1B registration was not selected in FY2027. What are my options?
The FY2027 cap lottery path is closed. Your options include maintaining current visa status if you are already in the US on another visa category such as F-1 OPT, L-1, O-1 or TN; pursuing cap-exempt H-1B employment with a qualifying institution; or preparing for the FY2028 lottery in March 2027. Consult an immigration attorney about which pathway is appropriate for your situation.
What is the next H-1B lottery date?
The FY2028 H-1B cap lottery registration is expected in March 2027. USCIS will confirm the exact dates in advance. H-1B employment under an FY2028 approval would begin on 1 October 2027.
How does the weighted salary lottery affect my chances in FY2028?
The weighted system assigns more lottery entries to beneficiaries offered salaries at higher OEWS wage levels. If you are offered a salary at OEWS Level 3 or Level 4 for your occupation and location, your odds of selection are higher than they would have been under the old random system. If you are offered an entry-level salary at OEWS Level 1, your odds are lower. Discuss the prevailing wage level for your offered position with your employer before the next registration window.
I am on STEM OPT and was not selected. What should I do?
If your STEM OPT is due to expire before 1 October 2027, the next possible H-1B start date under FY2028, you face a gap in work authorisation. Options include seeking a cap-exempt H-1B position, changing to another visa status, or departing the US. Seek immigration legal advice specific to your circumstances and the expiry date of your current authorisation well before it lapses.
Did the cap being reached affect cap-exempt positions?
No. Cap-exempt H-1B petitions for positions at institutions of higher education, non-profit research organisations and government research organisations are not subject to the annual cap and can be filed at any time regardless of whether the cap has been reached.
