The USCIS has started showing H-1B lottery results for the FY2027 cycle in user accounts. The official notification to employers is expected to be completed by March 31.
Applicants and employers can now see selection status after logging into the myUSCIS portal. No email alerts have been sent yet, which has led many users to check their accounts directly for updates.
Selected applicants can begin filing their full H-1B petitions from April 1, 2026. The process marks the next stage for those who secure a place in the annual visa lottery.
This year’s lottery is different from earlier cycles. The system has changed in a major way. The old random selection method has been replaced with a wage-based system. This new approach gives higher chances to applicants with higher salary offers from employers.
How Has H-1B lottery System Changed?
Under the new system, selection depends on wage levels. Jobs that offer higher pay get more entries in the lottery. Level IV positions receive four entries, Level III get three, and Level II get two. Level I jobs get the least preference, which lowers their chances of selection, according to The Federal report.
The wage level depends on what the employer promises to pay after approval. It does not depend on the applicant’s current salary. This change shifts the focus to employer offers rather than past earnings.
Another major change is the introduction of a $100,000 fee. This applies to petitions filed for workers who are outside the United States. The rule came through a presidential order in September 2025.
However, many F-1 students already in the US under OPT are exempt from this fee. This group has traditionally made up a large share of H-1B applicants.
The number of registrations has fallen sharply over the past two years. Reports from American media show a 38 percent drop from FY2024 to FY2025. The fall came after new rules stopped multiple employers from registering the same person.
FY2026 saw another decline of 26.9 percent, with total registrations dropping to 343,981. This number is much lower than the nearly 800,000 registrations in FY2024.
Earlier, some people misused the system by sending duplicate entries. This gave them an unfair advantage. USCIS now uses advanced tools to spot unusual patterns, including cases where wages may be changed to increase chances.
The agency has not shared full details, but it says the goal is to make the process fair.
USCIS plans to send all selection notices by March 31, 2026. Applicants cannot check results on their own without logging in or hearing from their employer or immigration lawyer. Only around 85,000 applicants will be selected this year.
Those who are selected can move forward with their visa process from April 1. Others will have to wait for the next cycle.