H1B Lottery Chances: How the Odds Really Work

Frequently asked questions

What are the odds of being selected in the H1B lottery?

Odds vary each year based on how many registrations are submitted for the fixed 85,000-visa cap. In recent years, when registrations far exceeded the cap, a single registration's chance of selection has often been well below 50%. The more registrations submitted overall, the lower each individual's odds. USCIS publishes registration and selection numbers after each cycle.

Does a U.S. master's degree improve my H1B lottery chances?

Yes. Holders of a U.S. master's degree or higher get two chances: they are first considered in the combined selection for all 85,000 slots, and those not selected there are considered again for the 20,000 slots reserved for advanced-degree holders. This 'master's cap' generally gives U.S.-advanced-degree candidates meaningfully better odds than bachelor's-only candidates.

Can I improve my H1B lottery odds by having multiple employers register me?

No. Under the beneficiary-centric rules, each person gets one entry in the selection regardless of how many employers register them. Having several genuine job offers does not multiply your chances. What it can do is give you more than one employer able to file if you are selected. Submitting duplicate or fraudulent registrations is prohibited and can lead to denials or bans.

Are H1B lottery odds the same for Indians as everyone else?

The selection itself is random and not based on nationality, so the raw selection odds are the same for an Indian applicant as anyone else with the same degree level. Where country matters is later — after an H-1B leads to the green-card process, per-country limits create long EB-2/EB-3 backlogs for Indians. But that affects the green card timeline, not the lottery selection odds.

Is there any legitimate way to increase my chances?

Under the FY 2027 wage-weighted selection, a genuinely higher OEWS wage level gives you more weighted entries (Level I = 1 up to Level IV = 4). Beyond that, the legitimate levers are earning a qualifying U.S. master's degree (to access the advanced-degree cap) and giving yourself more attempts over time by staying in valid status (for example via STEM OPT). Wage level must reflect a real role and salary — avoid anyone promising 'guaranteed' selection, which is a scam. You can estimate your odds with our H-1B lottery chance calculator.

What are the chances of H1B selection in 2027?

It depends on your wage level for the first time: FY 2027's wage-weighted draw gives a Level IV role about 4x the entries of a Level I role. For context, the published selection rate was roughly 35% of eligible registrations in FY 2026 and about 25% in the peak-volume FY 2024 season. USCIS publishes FY 2027's actual numbers after the cycle — use the H-1B lottery chance calculator to model your profile.

What is the H1B selection rate history?

Approximate selection rates from USCIS data: ~45% in FY 2021, ~43% in FY 2022, ~26% in FY 2023, ~25% in FY 2024, ~29% in FY 2025 (the first beneficiary-centric year), and ~35% in FY 2026. The rate rises when duplicate registrations fall or volume drops, since the 85,000-visa cap is fixed.

Will there be a second H1B lottery in 2027?

Nobody knows in advance — USCIS runs a second selection only if petition filings fall short of the 85,000 cap, as happened in FY 2021, FY 2022, FY 2024, and FY 2025. A second round pulls from the same Submitted pool automatically, so there is nothing extra to file. Historically it adds only a few percentage points to the year's overall odds.