On July 17, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had received enough petitions to meet both the 65,000 regular H-1B cap and the 20,000 U.S. advanced degree exemption (the "master's cap").
Here are the key takeaways from the announcement:
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No Second Lottery: Because the cap has been reached, USCIS will not conduct a second H-1B lottery for FY 2027.
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Next Steps for Unselected Registrations: Unselected registrations expire with the FY 2027 cap season and do not roll over. If a beneficiary was not selected, their employer will need to wait until the FY 2028 registration period (expected in Spring 2027) or explore alternative visa/green card strategies.
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Cap-Exempt Petitions Continue: USCIS continues to process and accept cap-exempt petitions. This includes extensions for current H-1B workers, changes of employer, amendments, and petitions filed by cap-exempt employers (like certain universities or non-profit research organizations).
