USCIS Runs Second H-1B Lottery Round
USCIS has announced a second round of H-1B cap selections for fiscal year 2027, notifying additional registrants that their petitions have been selected. This second lottery was triggered because the initial selection round did not generate enough petition filings to fill the 85,000 available H-1B cap slots (65,000 regular cap plus 20,000 master's cap).
The second selection follows the new wage-based weighted lottery system introduced in FY 2027, which prioritizes higher-wage positions. USCIS reports that some employers who received initial selections did not file petitions within the filing window, creating openings for additional beneficiaries.
What This Means for Employers and Workers
Employers with newly selected registrations must file H-1B petitions within the filing window specified in their selection notices. Workers currently on OPT or in cap-gap status should verify their selection status through their employer and prepare petition documents immediately. The H-1B visa guide covers the complete filing process.
For F-1 students whose OPT is expiring, a second-round selection extends cap-gap authorization through October 1. This provides critical work authorization continuity for international students who were not selected in the first round.
Registration Fraud Crackdown Continues
USCIS continues its crackdown on duplicate and fraudulent H-1B registrations that inflated lottery volumes in prior years. The agency has implemented enhanced identity verification and cross-referencing of beneficiary information across registrations. Employers found submitting fraudulent registrations face debarment from future filings and potential criminal referrals.