H-1B lottery statistics by year: registrations and selections (FY 2021 to FY 2026)

How to cite this data

EADly, "H-1B lottery statistics by year," https://eadly.app/blog/h1b-lottery-statistics-by-year/, checked October 22, 2026. Source: USCIS.

The registration and selection figures are USCIS's. The "share selected" percentages are EADly's calculation from them.

H-1B registrations and selections by year

USCIS's H-1B Electronic Registration Process page has a "Historical Data" table. USCIS introduces it as: "This chart shows registration and selection numbers for FYs 2021-26." Here are its columns and figures, as published (USCIS, H-1B Electronic Registration Process, last reviewed 09/21/2026).

USCIS's note for the asterisk: "The count of eligible registrations excludes duplicate registrations, those deleted by the prospective employer before the registration period closed, those denied for having invalid passport or travel document information, and those with failed payments." (same page)

• FY 2027 is missing. USCIS hasn't published FY 2027 registration or selection totals on the pages we checked on October 22, 2026. We don't fill the gap with other figures.
• One total per year. The table doesn't split selections by round, or between the regular cap and the master's cap.
• The columns add up. In every row, the two "Eligible Registrations for Beneficiaries..." columns add up to Eligible Registrations.
• The cap fiscal year is not the lottery year. For example, USCIS completed the FY 2026 initial selection in March 2025, and FY 2026 cap petitions could be filed beginning April 1, 2025 (USCIS alert, March 31, 2025).

Share selected each year

Share selected = Selected Registrations ÷ Eligible Registrations, both from the USCIS table above. We calculated it with a short script and rounded to one decimal place.

Share selected is not anyone's individual chance of selection. It is one total divided by another. Through FY 2024, USCIS selected registrations, and one person could have several, so a share of registrations is not a share of people. From FY 2027, selection is also weighted by wage level (see why the years aren't comparable).

Unique beneficiaries and employers

USCIS gives counts of people (unique beneficiaries) for FY 2025 and FY 2026 only. Employer counts are for FY 2025 and FY 2026, plus one for FY 2022 (see the last bullet).

• Eligible beneficiaries and employers: the USCIS registration page says "The number of eligible unique beneficiaries for FY 2026 (approximately 339,000) was significantly lower than the number for FY 2025 (approximately 442,000)" and "The number of unique employers for FY 2026 (approximately 57,600) was comparable to the number for FY 2025 (approximately 52,700)" (USCIS).
• Selected beneficiaries: USCIS's FY 2025 report to Congress gives "a total of 127,624 selected beneficiaries" for FY 2025, and says that for FY 2026 USCIS "selected 118,660 unique beneficiaries, resulting in 120,141 selected registrations" (USCIS, Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2025).
• Share of people selected: about 29% for FY 2025 (127,624 of approximately 442,000) and about 35% for FY 2026 (118,660 of approximately 339,000). These are approximate because USCIS rounds the eligible counts. They are not anyone's individual chance either.
• Not available: the sources we checked give no unique-beneficiary counts for FY 2021 to FY 2024. The USCIS pages and reports we checked don't give a figure labelled "eligible registrants." For FY 2022, a USCIS report says the 308,613 registrations came "from 37,093 employers" (USCIS, Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2024). We found no employer count for FY 2023 or FY 2024.

Selection rounds by year

USCIS sometimes selects more registrations after the initial selection. It explained why in 2021: "we use historical data related to approvals, denials, revocations, and other relevant factors to calculate the number of registrations needed to meet the H-1B cap" (USCIS alert, July 2021). When it needs more, it selects again from registrations already submitted for that fiscal year.

• Dates come from the USCIS alerts for each season, listed in Sources. Counts come from USCIS's reports to Congress for FY 2024 (for FY 2022 to FY 2025) and FY 2025 (for FY 2026). USCIS gave no round counts for FY 2021.
• FY 2026 count: 118,660 unique beneficiaries and 120,141 registrations selected. The report doesn't split them by round.
• FY 2025 second round: USCIS said it "did not conduct a second selection for the advanced degree exemption (the master's cap)" (USCIS alert, Aug. 5, 2024).
• Rounds and the table: for FY 2024 and FY 2025, the round counts add up to the table's Selected Registrations (110,800 + 77,600 = 188,400; 120,603 + 14,534 = 135,137). For FY 2022 they add up to 131,970, which is 46 more than the table's 131,924 (see where USCIS sources differ).

Why the years aren't directly comparable

The selection rules changed during this period. Each change is explained, with sources, in EADly's lottery guide.

• FY 2025: selection by person, not by registration. A DHS rule effective March 4, 2024 says: "Instead of selecting by registration, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will select registrations by unique beneficiary." DHS says this "applied to the FY 2025 cap season" (Federal Register, 89 FR 7456; 90 FR 60864). In USCIS's table, eligible registrations for beneficiaries with multiple eligible registrations fell from 408,891 (FY 2024) to 47,314 (FY 2025). USCIS says it believes the lower FY 2025 and FY 2026 registration numbers indicate that its fraud investigations "and the beneficiary-centric selection process, have been effective integrity measures" (USCIS). Details: How selection works now.
• FY 2027: weighted by wage level. USCIS says that "Starting in fiscal year (FY) 2027, USCIS has implemented a weighted selection process." It applies when random selection is required (USCIS, H-1B Cap Season). The rule took effect Feb. 27, 2026 (90 FR 60864). How the weighting works: How selection works now.
• The master's cap. The table's selected numbers cover the regular cap and the master's cap together. USCIS says "the general cap selection is conducted first," including beneficiaries eligible for the master's cap, and "Then the master's cap selection is conducted" (USCIS, H-1B registration FAQ). Cap sizes: The H-1B cap.
• Selected counts are projections. USCIS selects the number it projects it needs, and adds rounds when filings fall short (see selection rounds). So a year's selected count is not the cap, and it isn't the number of petitions approved.

Where USCIS sources differ

The main table on this page uses the USCIS registration page. Other USCIS publications give slightly different numbers or labels:

• FY 2022 selected registrations. The table says 131,924. USCIS's FY 2024 report to Congress says the three rounds "resulted in a total of 131,970 selected registrations" (USCIS, FY 2024 report).
• FY 2023 total registrations. The table says 483,927. The same report says USCIS "received 483,972 H-1B registrations."
• FY 2025 registrations. The FY 2024 report says USCIS "received 470,342 H-1B registrations." In the table, 470,342 is Eligible Registrations, and Total Registrations is 479,953. The FY 2025 report calls 470,342 "eligible H-1B registrations" (USCIS, FY 2025 report).
• FY 2021 employers. USCIS's FY 2021 report says "USCIS received a total of 274,237 electronic registrations from 38,481 employers in FY 2021" (USCIS, FY 2021 report). 274,237 matches the FY 2021 cap row, but the sentence sits in a paragraph about the registration period that began March 9, 2021, for the FY 2022 cap. Because the year is unclear, we leave this employer count out of the tables.

FY 2027 and later

USCIS hasn't published FY 2027 registration or selection totals on the pages we checked. For the FY 2027 dates and what USCIS announced, see FY 2027 registration dates and results in the lottery guide.

This page makes no forecast for FY 2028.

If you were selected

USCIS says selection "only pertains to eligibility to file the H-1B cap-subject petition" (USCIS alert, March 31, 2025). It is not an approval. The filing window, change of status, cap-gap and the records to keep are in Selected in the H-1B lottery: what happens next.

Keeping your own H-1B records in EADly

EADly is a private, local-first app for iPhone and Android. It can save each cap registration by season, with the employer and the outcome USCIS shows (Submitted, Selected, Not Selected and the other statuses), and your petition records. Cap registration records are free, and the app is a free download.

What it doesn't do: EADly doesn't register you, file a petition or estimate your chance of selection. It isn't a law firm.

Get EADly on the App Store or Google Play.

Common questions

Sources

All checked October 22, 2026 (PT). The date in brackets is the date each page or document showed.

• USCIS, H-1B Electronic Registration Process (Historical Data table and FY 2026 registration analysis): https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/h-1b-electronic-registration-process [last reviewed 09/21/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS, H-1B Cap Season: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/h-1b-cap-season [last reviewed 09/21/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS, H-1B Electronic Registration Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/h-1b-electronic-registration-frequently-asked-questions [last reviewed 09/21/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS, Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2025 report to Congress: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/fy25_h1b_characteristics_congress_signed_04242026.pdf [dated April 24, 2026; Appendix A; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS, Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2024 report to Congress: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/ola_signed_h1b_characteristics_congressional_report_FY24.pdf [dated April 29, 2025; Appendix A; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS, Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2021 report to Congress: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/H1B_Characteristics_Congressional_Report_FY2021-3.2.22.pdf [checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2021), H-1B Initial Electronic Registration Selection Process Completed: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/h-1b-initial-electronic-registration-selection-process-completed [released 03/27/2020; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2021), USCIS Will Allow Resubmission of Certain FY 2021 H-1B Petitions Rejected or Closed Due to Start Date: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/uscis-will-allow-resubmission-of-certain-fy-2021-h-1b-petitions-rejected-or-closed-due-to-start-date [released 06/23/2021; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2021), USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2021 H-1B Cap: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/uscis-reaches-fiscal-year-2021-h-1b-cap [last reviewed 02/16/2021; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2022), FY 2022 H-1B Cap Season Updates: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/fy-2022-h-1b-cap-season-updates [released 03/30/2021; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2022), USCIS Conducts Second Random Selection from Previously Submitted FY 2022 H-1B Cap Registrations: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/uscis-conducts-second-random-selection-from-previously-submitted-fy-2022-h-1b-cap-registrations [last reviewed 07/29/2021; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2022), USCIS Conducts Third Random Selection from Previously Submitted FY 2022 H-1B Cap Registrations: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/uscis-conducts-third-random-selection-from-previously-submitted-fy-2022-h-1b-cap-registrations [released 11/19/2021; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2022), USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2022 H-1B Cap: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/uscis-reaches-fiscal-year-2022-h-1b-cap [released 02/28/2022; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2023), FY 2023 H-1B Cap Season Updates: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/fy-2023-h-1b-cap-season-updates [released 03/29/2022; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2023), USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2023 H-1B Cap: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/uscis-reaches-fiscal-year-2023-h-1b-cap [released 08/23/2022; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2024), FY 2024 H-1B Cap Season Updates: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/fy-2024-h-1b-cap-season-updates [released 03/27/2023; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2024), Second Random Selection from Previously Submitted Registrations Complete for FY 2024 H-1B Cap: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/second-random-selection-from-previously-submitted-registrations-complete-for-fy-2024-h-1b-cap [released 07/31/2023; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2024), USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2024 H-1B Cap: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-reaches-fiscal-year-2024-h-1b-cap [last reviewed 12/13/2023; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2025), Notice of FY 2025 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Selection Process Completion and Cap Season Reminders: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/notice-of-fy-2025-h-1b-cap-initial-registration-selection-process-completion-and-cap-season [released 04/01/2024; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2025), USCIS Will Conduct Second Random Selection for Regular Cap from Previously Submitted FY 2025 H-1B Cap Registrations: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-will-conduct-second-random-selection-for-regular-cap-from-previously-submitted-fy-2025-h-1b [released 07/30/2024; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2025), Second Random Selection from Previously Submitted Registrations Complete for FY 2025 H-1B Regular Cap: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/second-random-selection-from-previously-submitted-registrations-complete-for-fy-2025-h-1b-regular [released 08/05/2024; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2025), USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2025 H-1B Cap: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-reaches-fiscal-year-2025-h-1b-cap [released 12/02/2024; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2026), FY 2026 H-1B Initial Registration Selection Process Completed: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/fy-2026-h-1b-initial-registration-selection-process-completed [released 03/31/2025; checked October 22, 2026]
• USCIS alert (FY 2026), USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B Cap: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-reaches-fiscal-year-2026-h-1b-cap [released 07/18/2025; checked October 22, 2026]
• Federal Register, Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity, 89 FR 7456: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/02/02/2024-01770/improving-the-h-1b-registration-selection-process-and-program-integrity [published 02/02/2024, effective March 4, 2024; checked October 22, 2026]
• Federal Register, Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions, 90 FR 60864: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b [published 12/29/2025, effective February 27, 2026; checked October 22, 2026]

This page summarizes official U.S. government sources and is not legal or immigration advice. EADly is not a law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS or DHS.

More guides

• H-1B lotteryRegistration, weighted selection and FY 2027 dates
• Selected in the H-1B lotteryBlog: the filing window, change of status and cap-gap
• H-1B trackerRegistrations, petitions, I-797 and I-94 records
• F-1 to H-1B: cap-gap and the grace periodBlog: status vs. work permission and the records to keep