The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the second round of the H-1B visa lottery. Find out why it was decided to hold an additional draw and who will soon be able to get the long-awaited work permit in America

Order an insurance policy for safe travel, stay or work abroad

BUY

On July 30, 2024, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it plans to hold a second round of the lottery for H-1B visa applications in fiscal year 2025. This is due to the fact that at the first stage it was not possible to receive a sufficient number of applications to fill the established quota.

We tell you who got a second chance to get a work visa to the USA.

The first stage of the H-1B visa lottery

In March, USCIS conducted an initial random selection of properly submitted electronic filings for FY 2025. After that, applicants had 90 days to submit a package of necessary documents and obtain the appropriate permit. This period lasted from April 1 to June 30, 2024.

However, after processing all applications, USCIS found that there were not enough permits issued to fill the established quota. Taking this into account, it was decided to announce the second round of the lottery.

Importantly! US Citizenship and Immigration Services reported that the second round of the lottery will be held only among professionals with a bachelor's degree. All 20,000 places that were provided for specialists with a master's degree are already occupied.

To move, travel or work safely in a new country, you will need health insurance. You can apply for an extended policy on our website here.

When is the second round of the H-1B lottery planned?

The date of the second round is still unknown. USCIS said it will announce it additionally. Employers will soon receive special notices that will specify the dates for the second stage of the lottery.

The August visa bulletin-2024 in the USA is completely focused on employment. More details in this article.

How many specialists are not enough to fill the H-1B visa quota?

During the year, the United States issues only 65,000 H-1B visas to foreign workers. It is extremely difficult to get it, due to the huge demand. During the initial H-1B registration period in FY 2025, USCIS received 470,342 applications and processed 120,603 questionnaires. How many applications will be selected in the second round of the lottery has not yet been announced.

Do I need to reapply for the second round of the H-1B visa lottery?

The second round will be held among already registered applications. Re-registration or any updating of documents is not required.

If the applicant is selected, the employer will see the employee's registration status change from “Submitted” to “Selected” in their online myUSCIS account. In addition, the employer will receive a corresponding letter by e-mail. After which he will have 90 days to submit the potential employee's documents to the service.

A permanent residence permit in the USA can also be obtained by investment. Learn more about the conditions and basic requirements of the EB-5 program by following the link.

What is an H-1B visa?

The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa that was specifically created for American employers to hire skilled foreign workers for a specific period of time. This is a temporary work visa that allows people from other countries to work in certain industries, such as information technology, engineering, health care, finance, and others.

Among the main requirements, the position must coincide with the acquired specialty, which is written in the diploma of higher education. The minimum academic degree admissible for obtaining such a visa is a bachelor's degree or equivalent. To start the visa application process, the applicant must have an employment contract concluded with a company from the United States of America, where all working conditions are written in detail.

A work visa is initially issued for 3 years. Then it can be extended for 2 years, and later for another 1 year. Thus, the maximum period of stay of a foreigner on the basis of an H-1B work visa is 6 years.

The additional selection round is a new opportunity for applicants and employers seeking to obtain an H-1B visa. Although winning a permit is quite difficult, a second chance will allow more people to achieve their American dream.

We will remind you! To move to the USA, a foreigner must obtain an immigrant visa, and then a Green Card. We talked about 6 proven ways to legally migrate to the USA in 2024 in this article.

Igor Usyk - Head of Migration department at VisitWorld

To ensure a safe trip abroad, I advise you to contact a specialist. My colleagues, qualified specialists with legal education, will help you avoid unpleasant situations while traveling around the world.

Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip: