USCIS Releases FY 2026 H-1B Registration Statistics
This week USCIS released statistics about this year’s FY H-1B lottery process:
| Cap Fiscal Year | Total Registrations | Eligible Registrations* | Eligible Registrations for Beneficiaries with No Other Eligible Registrations | Eligible Registrations for Beneficiaries with Multiple Eligible Registrations | Selected Registrations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 274,237 | 269,424 | 241,299 | 28,125 | 124,415 |
| 2022 | 308,613 | 301,447 | 211,304 | 90,143 | 131,924 |
| 2023 | 483,927 | 474,421 | 309,241 | 165,180 | 127,600 |
| 2024 | 780,884 | 758,994 | 350,103 | 408,891 | 188,400 |
| 2025 | 479,953 | 470,342 | 423,028 | 47,314 | 135,137 |
| 2026 | 358,737 | 343,981 | 336,153 | 7,828 | 120,141 |
Sourcehttps://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/h-1b-electronic-registration-process
The data reveals several noteworthy insights from the FY 2026 H-1B cap registration period compared to FY 2025 figures last year, including:
- A 29.6% Drop in Total Registrations Submitted
- A 20.5% Decline in Unique Beneficiaries (i.e. the number of foreign national individuals being registered).
- A 4.72% Reduction in Multiple Registrations Per Beneficiary, signifying that on average, each beneficiary had only approximately 1 registration submitted on their behalf even though multiple registrations may be allowed.
- Stable Employer Participation, with approximately the same number of employers submitting registrations compared to last year.
In sum, this means that approximately the same number of employers are participating in the lottery, but they are registering fewer beneficiaries.
The data also suggests there may be room for a second selection round, but USCIS has not yet formally concluded the FY 2026 lottery or confirmed whether or not there will be additional selection rounds this year.
For more information, visit the H-1B Electronic Registration Process page.
See also our Fiscal Year H-1B FAQs.
We will continue to monitor and report on notable developments here as they occur.
