Immigration companies said selection rates increased in this year’s H-1B lottery.
The first H-1B lottery (FY2027) conducted under Donald Trump’s second administration this year saw selection rates jump to “unseen levels,” Bloomberg Law reported, citing data from immigration firms. This was the first lottery based on wage levels and also after the administration imposed a $100,000 fee on H-1B applications.
USCIS has not released official data on how many registrations it has received and how many people have been selected in the lottery, but law firms told Bloomberg they saw a greater success rate this time around. The visa program to hire specialized workers from foreign countries was based on a random lottery, receiving more applications than the annual quota of 85,000. But the administration adjusted the lottery rule to give greater chances of winning to the most qualified candidates.
Some major law firms have indicated a success rate of between 50 and 60% this year compared to one in three selection opportunities in previous years.
What does this mean for H-1B seekers?
The Trump administration has cracked down on immigration, job, and visa fraud. Many Republicans want the H-1B program to end completely, because they do not want American jobs to go to Indians or Chinese. But if H-1B selection rates increase under the Trump administration, is this good news for Americans and H-1B seekers? Immigration companies told Bloomberg that the chances of winning increased this year because the pool of participants was smaller this time, due to the $100,000 fee.
After the fees were imposed, universities and hospitals stopped almost all international recruitment because they could not afford the exorbitant fees. Many tech companies have also chosen not to hire from abroad, accounting for four out of every 10 new H-1B hires in recent years. Technology companies paying heavy investments in artificial intelligence have also reduced their foreign hires this time.
Many companies are still waiting and watching if there is any change in the rule or any court order to stop the visa fees. The increased chances of winning are good news for highly skilled workers as the new system favors highly paid and experienced workers. For American workers too, this means that entry-level jobs will not go to foreign workers.
