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H-1B Lottery 2026: It's Time To Register

H-1B Lottery 2026: It's Time To Register
Photo by dylan nolte / Unsplash

The 2026 H-1B Lottery Is Here: What Employers Need to Know

The H-1B visa lottery season is now, and if you're an employer looking to hire international talent, now is the time to act. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has officially announced that the H-1B lottery registration for the FY 2026 cycle (for employment starting October 1, 2025) is open from March 7 through March 24, 2025.

Missing this window means waiting an entire year for the next opportunity—so let's dive into what you need to know and how to make the most of this critical period.

Who Should You Register for the H-1B Lottery?

If you're considering sponsoring someone for an H-1B visa, here’s where to start:

1. Current Employees on OPT or STEM OPT

  • These individuals are already working for you under Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT, meaning they have temporary work authorization after graduating from a U.S. college or university.
  • Since their F-1 student status won't allow them to work indefinitely, securing an H-1B visa ensures they can remain long-term employees.

2. Candidates You'd Like to Hire

  • If you've recently extended job offers to highly skilled international candidates, they may need an H-1B visa to work for you legally.
  • Even if they're still job-hunting, early registration maximizes the chances of securing crucial business talent.

What’s New with the H-1B Lottery in 2025?

This year, USCIS has codified new rules that have been implemented in past cycles. A key change that remains in place is the beneficiary-centric lottery system. Here’s how it works:

  • Each individual can only be entered once into the lottery, no matter how many employers register them.
  • If selected, the candidate chooses which employer will file their official H-1B petition—for example, if they received multiple offers.
  • This helps prevent system abuse, where certain applicants previously increased their selection chances by submitting multiple employer-sponsored registrations.

What Does This Mean for Employers?

  • If you register an employee but aren’t selected, they may still have another opportunity with a different employer if the candidate chooses them instead.
  • Before filing the actual H-1B petition, always confirm the employee’s intention to accept your sponsorship—because they may have another employer option.

Understanding the Selection Process

While the lottery is random, it follows a structured timeline:

  1. March 7 - March 24, 2025: Employers register employees for the H-1B lottery.
  2. Late March / Early April 2025: USCIS conducts the first lottery draw and notifies selected employers.
  3. 90-Day Filing Window: Selected employers must submit their full H-1B petition within 90 days.
  4. Additional Draws (if needed):
    • If selected companies don’t file petitions, USCIS may conduct a second draw in July from the original applicants.
    • Occasionally, a third draw happens later in the year if slots remain.

Important Note: If an application is not selected, USCIS does not issue an official rejection immediately. Instead, candidates sit in a "pending" status for months, in case of an additional draw.