The Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B Visa Cap filing season came to an on March 24, 2025. USCIS soon after announced they had received more than sufficient registrations to meet the annual H-1B cap and that there would be a lottery.
Let us take a look at some of the notable highlights of the FY2026 H-1B Visa Cap filing season, and the best way forward for employers and H-1B workers whose 2025 H-1B registrations were not selected
FISCAL YEAR 2026
H-1B Cap Registration
Application Funnel & Statistics
Registrations Received
358,737
Eligible Registrations
343,981
Registrations Selected
120,141
Unique Employers
57,600
Total Unique Beneficiaries
339,000
Unique Beneficiaries Selected
118,660
1. FY2026 H-1B Cap Filing Period
USCIS began accepting H-1B cap registrations for the FY2026 H-1B Cap on March 7, 2025. The registration period lasted between March 7 and March 24, 2025. On March 31, 2025, USCIS announced that it had received more than a sufficient number of H-1B registrations to reach the FY2026 H-1B Cap and it had exceeded the limit of 20,000 H-1B registrations filed under the advanced degree exemption. Therefore, a lottery was conducted.
DID YOU KNOW?
On April 1, 2025, USCIS began accepting H-1B cap petitions based on H-1B cap registrations selected in the FY2026 H-1B lottery.
Compare Your H-1B Lottery Results With Peers, And Improve Your Approvals
Let’s look at one of the representative companies VisaPro Attorneys helped during a previous H-1B cap filing season.
By leveraging insights from our prior success strategies, you can enhance your H‑1B cap filings and approvals.
H-1B Cap Filing Scenario
In this scenario, there were numerous factors that are generally recognized to be unfavorable for H-1B approvals:
a.The petitioner is in the business of IT consulting.
b.The petitioner is a small business with less than 10 employees.
c.All the beneficiaries were from outside U.S. – no Master’s Quota.
d.All the beneficiaries were located in India.
e.All the beneficiaries were going to different clients across the country.
f.All the beneficiaries were going to work only at client locations.
H-1B Cap Filing Outcome
In this scenario, there were numerous factors that are generally recognized to be unfavorable for H-1B approvals:
a.Number of H-1B petitions filed: 17.
b.Number of H-1B petitions selected in the lottery: 10.
c.Number of H-1B petitions that received RFE: 0.
d.Number of H-1B petitions approved: 10.
Against the Odds
H-1B Success Story: 100% Approval Rate
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The Challenge: Unfavorable Conditions
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IT Consulting Business
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Small Business (<10 Employees)
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All Beneficiaries Outside U.S. (No Master’s Quota)
2. FY2026 H-1B Visa Registrations: How Many Were Filed?
USCIS received 343,981 eligible registrations subject to the FY2026 H-1B Cap in 2025 on behalf of approximately 339,000 unique beneficiaries during the registration window. This figure of 343,981 included registrations filed for the Master’s Cap.
DID YOU KNOW?
During each of the last 5 years, USCIS has received over 300,000 eligible registrations.
FISCAL YEAR 2026
H-1B Cap Statistics
Registration and Selection Overview
360,000
270,000
180,000
90,000
358,737
Registrations Received
343,981
Eligible Registrations
120,141
Registrations Selected
3. FY2026 H-1B Visa Lottery: When Was It Conducted?
USCIS completed the computer-generated random selection process, or the “H-1B Lottery”, at the end of the initial H-1B cap registration period and released all results as of March 31, 2025.
Starting April 1, 2025, USCIS began accepting petitions for employers whose registrations were selected in the first H-1B lottery. The initial filing period ended on June 30, 2025. On July 18, 2025, USCIS officially announced that the FY2026 H-1B cap had been reached and the lottery process was closed.
Overcoming an Imperfect H-1B Registration to Secure a Successful Petition Approval
Let’s take a closer look at how VisaPro attorneys successfully navigated registration discrepancies in a recent H-1B cap filing.
By applying proven strategies, you can better identify, analyze, and resolve preventable issues in your own H-1B cap filings.
H-1B Cap Petition Filing Scenario
a. Petitioner self-submitted an H-1B cap registration.
b. Registration selected in the lottery.
c. Petitioner approached VisaPro for H-1B cap petition filing.
d. While reviewing the Selection Notice, discrepancies were discovered in the registration – the petitioner’s name was incomplete, and the beneficiary’s date of birth was incorrect.
e. To address these issues, VisaPro attorneys clearly documented the correct information and demonstrated how the discrepancies were non-material clerical errors that did not affect eligibility or the integrity of the registration.
H-1B Cap Petition Filing Outcome
a. The H-1B cap petition was approved without even an RFE.
With VisaPro’s assistance during the registration process, these common errors can be avoided, ensuring accurate and complete submissions.
Successfully Navigating an Imperfect H-1B Registration
From Registration Errors to H-1B Approval
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The Filing Scenario
Petitioner Self-Submitted H-1B Cap Registration
Registration Selected in Lottery
Petitioner approached VisaPro for H-1B cap petition filing
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Discrepancies Discovered
Issues Found While Reviewing Selection Notice
Expert Review Revealed Critical Errors
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Incomplete Petitioner Name
!
Incorrect Beneficiary Date of Birth
VisaPro Attorney’s Strategic Approach
1
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Clearly Documented Correct Information
2
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Demonstrated Discrepancies were only Non-Material Clerical Errors
3
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Proved No Impact on Registration Eligibility or Integrity
4. H-1B Registrations Selected: When Are You Informed?
USCIS started sending Selection Notices to Petitioners whose beneficiaries’ registrations were selected in the lottery on March 28, 2025. All employers, whose registrations were selected, were notified by March 31, 2025.
IMPORTANT
Employers are prohibited from filing multiple H-1B Cap registrations for the same employee. USCIS will deny multiple registrations filed by a single employer for the same H-1B worker.
FISCAL YEAR 2026
H-1B Cap Timeline
Key Dates & Milestones
March 7, 2025
H-1B cap registration period opens for FY 2026
Registration Start
March 24, 2025
H-1B cap registration period closes
Registration End
March 31, 2025
USCIS announced that it had received a sufficient number of H-1B registrations to reach the H-1B 2026 Cap
Announcement
April 1, 2025
USCIS began accepting H-1B cap petitions from selected registrants
Filing Opens
June 30, 2025
H-1B cap petition filing period ended
Filing Closes
July 18, 2025
USCIS officially announced that the FY 2026 H-1B cap had been reached and the lottery process was closed
Cap Reached
WHAT NEXT?
Employers and H-1B candidates unsuccessful in the FY 2026 l H-1B lottery will not have a chance to file new H-1B until March 2026 for Fiscal Year 2027 and must look for alternative U.S. work visa options.
VisaPro specializes in developing customized strategies after the H-1B Visa Cap is reached. We have successfully handled H1B alternatives for a variety of clients ranging from startup companies to multinationals.
Contact VisaPro Law Firm today for a FREE H-1B Alternatives Consultation. We’ll talk through your priorities and recommend strategies based on our attorneys’ near 100% success rate.
What VisaPro Customers Are Saying
[VisaPro legal team] was incredibly knowledgable and extremely helpful throughout the process. We were exceptionally impressed with how they have combined the great personal and communication skills they bring and also technology with a highly intuitive website which guides you and keeps you updated throughout the process……..This is a true testimonial, I would highly recommend VisaPro to anyone looking for guidance and success in this area."
Paul Lyons, President, Atlas Intelligence Inc
