The Journey / Getting here
How the H-1B lottery works now
Since the FY2027 season, the lottery gives higher wage levels more entries. Here is the timeline, how the weighting works and what your odds look like.
Every year, far more people want an H-1B than the law allows. Congress caps new H-1Bs at 65,000, plus 20,000 more for people with a US master’s degree or higher. When more employers register than there are slots, USCIS runs a lottery.
The yearly timeline
- Early March: employers (not you) submit an online registration for each person they want to sponsor. The fee is $215 per registration.
- By March 31: USCIS runs the selection and employers see who was picked.
- April 1 to June 30: employers of selected people file the full H-1B petition (Form I-129).
- October 1: approved H-1Bs can start work. That date is the start of the government’s fiscal year, which is why the season is named for the following year (the March 2026 lottery was “FY2027”).
If USCIS does not get enough petitions from the first round, it can run a second selection in the summer. For FY2027, USCIS said the cap was reached and there was no second round.
What changed: the wage-weighted lottery
Until 2025 every eligible person had the same chance. A final rule published on December 29, 2025 changed that from the FY2027 season. Now each registration is entered into the pool once for every wage level it is at:
| Department of Labor wage level | Entries in the pool | DHS projected selection chance |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (entry) | 1 | about 15% |
| Level II | 2 | about 31% |
| Level III | 3 | about 46% |
| Level IV (highest) | 4 | about 61% |
The chances above are the government’s own projections when it wrote the rule, not a guarantee. Real results depend on how many people register at each level. USCIS had not published FY2027 wage-level results when this page was last checked.
Wage levels come from the Department of Labor’s prevailing wage survey for your job title and work location. If you will work in several places, the employer must register at the lowest level among them.
The master’s cap: two chances
If you have a US master’s or doctorate, USCIS first runs you through the regular 65,000 pool. If you are not picked, you get a second chance in the 20,000 advanced-degree pool. Both rounds now use the wage weighting.
How to improve your odds
- Ask what wage level the offer is at. It is a real factor now. A higher salary for the same job can move you up a level.
- Look at cap-exempt employers. Universities, their affiliated nonprofits and nonprofit research organizations can hire on H-1B at any time of year with no lottery. See cap-exempt paths.
- Use your OPT and STEM OPT time well. STEM OPT can give you up to three lottery attempts. See F-1 to OPT to H-1B.
- Only one registration counts. Since FY2025, selection is by person, not by registration, so multiple employers registering you doesn’t multiply your odds, though you can choose which selected employer to file with.
If you are not selected
You are not out of options. People commonly consider staying on STEM OPT for another year, a cap-exempt job, a master’s program, an L-1 transfer after a year abroad with a multinational, or an O-1 visa for extraordinary ability. Each has trade-offs. Talk to an immigration attorney before you plan around one.
The good
- Registration is cheap for employers ($215), so many are willing to try
- Higher-paid offers now have much better odds
- US master's graduates still get two chances
The hard
- Entry-level (Level I) offers have roughly half the odds they used to
- You only get one shot a year, and a miss means waiting until next March
- Your odds depend on a wage level your employer chooses, not only your skills
Recent from immigration lawyers
From independent law firms, newest first. Not reviewed by h1b-life, not legal advice and not an endorsement.
- DHS Proposes to End Deference to Prior Approvals on H-1B and Other I-129 ExtensionsReddy Neumann Brown · Nov 10, 2026
- Equity-Rich, Salary-Light: The H-1B Wage and SOC Code Audit for Senior Technology ExecutivesBerardi Immigration Law · Nov 9, 2026
- I have a valid H1B visa stamp showing my former employer’s name, and my new employer’s H1B petition has been approved. Do I need a new visa stamp before traveling?Murthy Law Firm · Nov 3, 2026
- H-1B 240-Day Rule: Can You Stay in the U.S. After Day 240?Reddy Neumann Brown · Nov 2, 2026
Sources
- Federal Register: Weighted Selection Process for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions (final rule)
- USCIS: H-1B Electronic Registration Process
- BakerHostetler: USCIS Implements Wage-Level H-1B Lottery
- Dworsky Law: How the Wage-Weighted System Changes Your Chances for FY 2027
- Fragomen: USCIS Completes FY 2027 H-1B Cap Selection Process
Rules change often. If something here looks out of date, it probably is; check the official source and talk to an immigration attorney about your own case.