Second-Round H1B Lottery for FY 2024: Updates, Analysis, and Expectations
In the competitive field of H1B Visa applications, anticipation has been high for news on a potential second-round lottery for the FY 2024 season. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) put speculations to rest on July 27, 2023, when they confirmed their intentions to conduct a second round of lottery selections. This article offers a comprehensive overview of the latest news, both official and speculative, regarding the H1B 2024 second-round lottery.
Unraveling the H1B FY 2024 Season: Initial Lottery Results
The first lottery round for the H1B Visa 2024 season was executed on March 24th, with applicants receiving initial selection results by March 27th, 2023. The USCIS received an unprecedented number of H1B registrations, with the finalized data updated on April 28th.
In total, there were around 781,000 H1B registrations for the FY 2024 season. Here’s a breakdown of the figures for your reference:
- Total H1B Registrations Submitted: Approximately 781,000
- Eligible H1B Registrations: Approximately 757,000
- Duplicate Registrations, Failed Payments, etc.: Approximately 21,890
- Single Employer H1B Applicants: Approximately 350,000. These applicants filed their H1B registration with only one employer.
- Multiple Employer H1B Applicants: Approximately 409,000. These applicants filed their H1B registrations with more than one employer.
- Selected H1B Registrations: 110,791. The USCIS picked about 25,791 more registrations than the actual H1B Cap quota to account for denials, non-filings, and similar issues.
The Need for a Second-Round H1B Lottery
The possibility of a second-round H1B Visa Lottery arises from two primary factors: the risk of employer fraud and the state of the US economy, specifically concerning the IT job market.
In the first round of the H1B FY 2024 lottery, a staggering number of applicants registered with multiple employers, indicating more than one job offer. The USCIS has expressed intentions to clamp down on any attempts to manipulate the H1B Lottery system. Due to this, it’s suggested that some employers refrained from filing their H1B petition during the April 1st to June 30th window.
Additionally, despite an improving US economy and decreasing unemployment rates, the tech sector is facing layoffs and budget cuts. This economic shift may have led some employers to withdraw their job offers, hence the need for a second lottery.
Key Takeaways from the USCIS Announcement for Second-Round H1B Lottery
The USCIS announced its decision to conduct a second-round lottery for the FY 2024 Season on July 27th, 2023. Some of the significant points from this announcement are:
- First Round Lottery FY 2024: The first-round lottery included both regular and advanced degrees (masters) cap and the selected applicants were eligible to file the H1B petitions between April 1st, 2023, and June 30th, 2023.
- Additional Registrations Needed: Due to a gap in the number of submitted petitions, USCIS has decided to select additional H1B registrations to meet the FY 2024 Season Cap of 85,000.
- Selection from Previous Registrations: USCIS plans to select additional H1B registrations from the previously submitted pool for the FY 2024 Season.
- Post-selection Announcement: After conducting the second round of H1B lottery, USCIS will update all the prospective employers about the selected applicants.
| H1B Fiscal Year | First Round Selections |
Second Round Selections |
Third Round Selections |
Total Selections |
| FY 2024 | 110,791 | ? | ? | 110,791 |
| FY 2023 | 127,600 | Not Conducted |
Not Conducted |
127,600 |
| FY 2022 | 87,500 | 27,717 | 16,753 | 131,924 |
| FY 2021 | No Numbers Announced |
No Numbers Announced |
Not Conducted |
124,415 |
Next, the important factor is to look at is how many applicants had multiple registrations and how it would impact the odds. Below is the data released by USCIS on the total number of eligible H1B registrations and how many had applicants had more than one offer/ registration.
| H1B Fiscal Year | Eligible H1B Registrations | Eligible H1B Registrations with only one H1B Employer | Eligible Registrations with Multiple Employers filing H1B for an Applicant | Total H1B Selections in first, second, third rounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 269,424 | 241,299 | 28,125 | 124,415 |
| 2022 | 301,447 | 211,304 | 90,143 | 131,924 |
| 2023 | 474,421 | 309,241 | 165,180 | 127,600 |
| 2024 | 758,994 | 350,103 | 408,891 | 110,791 |
Predicting the Second-Round H1B Lottery Dates and Selections
As of July 28th, 2023, USCIS hasn’t revealed the exact date for the second-round lottery or the number of expected selections. However, based on historical data and our analysis, we can expect that the USCIS might select anywhere between 30,000 to 50,000 H1B Registrations in the second-round lottery.
We will continue to update this article with the latest news on the H1B 2024 second-round lottery, as well as community insights and official USCIS announcements. What are your thoughts on the second-round lottery? Do you have any guesses on how many H1B registrations might be selected? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
