USCIS began posting the results of the FY2026 H-1B cap registration period today. Here are the answers to a few common questions we receive about the H-1B lottery selection process.
It typically takes a few days for the initial selection notifications to be completed. It is expected that all initial selections will be noted in the online system by Monday, March 31st. Notifications do not typically appear simultaneously for all registrants.
USCIS posts selection notices in the employer’s myUSCIS account—the same account used to submit the registration. Beneficiaries do not have independent access to their registration status. Instead, sponsoring employers and their legal representatives are responsible for monitoring their accounts and informing beneficiaries of their selection status. If selected, the employer may download and share a copy of the selection notice with the beneficiary.
Not necessarily. If a beneficiary is selected in the initial round, the registration status in myUSCIS will change to Selected. Registrations not selected will remain in Submitted status after March 31.
In recent years, USCIS has conducted additional lottery selections later in the year if there are insufficient H-1B petition filings to meet the annual cap of 85,000. These additional selection rounds have typically occurred in late July and November.
Employers do not need to take any further action to be considered for later rounds. USCIS will automatically select from the pool of previously submitted registrations. Once the cap is reached, USCIS will update remaining unselected cases to Not Selected status.
If selected, the employer may file an H-1B petition (Form I-129) on behalf of the beneficiary between April 1 and June 30. For beneficiaries currently in F-1 status with an OPT EAD expiring before June 30, the filing deadline is effectively the EAD expiration date to qualify for the cap-gap extension.
If a beneficiary is not selected in the initial lottery, there is a possibility of being selected in a later round. However, additional selections are not guaranteed. Beneficiaries who do not receive a selection notice by March 31 should begin considering alternative immigration options in case they are not selected in future rounds. If you would like our assistance in exploring different options available to you, please contact our office here.
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