At a glance
- USCIS selected an additional 13,607 unique beneficiaries in the second round of the FY 2025 H-1B cap lottery.
- As a result of the second drawing, the overall selection rate of unique beneficiaries increased to approximately 29%, from approximately 26% after the first round of selections.
The issue
USCIS has released additional details on the just-completed second round of FY 2025 H-1B cap lottery selections. The agency reports that an additional 13,607 unique beneficiaries were selected in the second lottery, resulting in a total of 127,624 unique beneficiaries selected over the course of the two rounds of selections, from an approximate total of 442,000 unique beneficiaries entered in this year's lottery. The overall selection rate increased to approximately 29%, up from approximately 26% after the first lottery.
Possibility of subsequent lottery selections
Employers will have a 90-day window, specified in the selection notice, within which to file petitions for beneficiaries selected in the second lottery. It is unlikely that the agency will make a decision on whether to conduct a third lottery until November at the earliest, after the petition filing period for selected beneficiaries from the second lottery closes. USCIS's decision is likely to depend heavily on the number of H-1B cap petitions the agency receives as a result of the second lottery selection.
Fragomen is closely monitoring the FY 2025 H-1B cap and will issue updates as developments occur.
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