The USCIS has announced the entry dates for the H-1B visa lottery for Fiscal Year 2026, which are from March 7 to March 24, 2025. The H-1B visa allows employers to hire foreign nationals in specialty occupations requiring a bachelor's degree. Due to high demand, a lottery system is used to allocate the limited number of visas available, capped at 85,000 annually. The changes in immigration policy from the new administration may broaden the scope of foreign employees who can be considered for H-1B sponsorship. Selected employers will have until June 30, 2025, to submit a petition for the selected candidates.
Given the new administration's rapid changes to immigration policy, employers should consider the H-1B visa for a wider set of foreign national employees.
H-1B visas are very popular. Federal law limits the number of new H-1B visas to 85,000 per year, with demand far exceeding supply.
USCIS begins accepting entries into the FY 2026 lottery on Friday, March 7, 2025 and stops accepting entries on Monday, March 24, 2025.
If selected, employers may then submit an H-1B petition on behalf of their employee, which must be completed by June 30, 2025.
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