H-1B FY2027 Lottery Results: First Year of Wage-Weighted Selection — Who Got Picked and What Are the Odds?

FY2027 H-1B Lottery: The Wage-Weighted Era Begins

The FY2027 H-1B lottery is the first in the program's history to use a wage-weighted selection system. Instead of a pure random draw, USCIS assigned virtual entries based on the prevailing wage level of each position — giving higher-paid roles a structural advantage in the lottery. Selection notifications went out between March 27 and March 31, 2026, and the results are reshaping who gets an H-1B visa in America.

Here is everything we know about the FY2027 results, the impact of wage-weighted selection, and what your options are if you were not picked.

FY2027 Timeline

Registration Volume: A Historic Low

Estimated FY2027 registrations came in at approximately 200,000–250,000 — a 30–40% decline from FY2026's 343,981 and roughly 70% below the FY2024 peak of ~780,000.

What Caused the Drop

The registration collapse is driven by three compounding policy changes:

$100,000 supplemental fee for overseas beneficiaries eliminated most bulk registrations from offshore staffing firms

$215 registration fee (up from $10) added friction to speculative filings

Wage-weighted selection discouraged employers from registering low-wage positions where odds are poor

The result: the FY2027 applicant pool is smaller, higher-paid on average, and more concentrated among US-based beneficiaries (particularly F-1 OPT students who are exempt from the $100K fee).

How Wage-Weighted Selection Worked

Under the new system (DHS final rule effective February 27, 2026), each registration receives virtual entries based on the offered position's prevailing wage level:

USCIS pooled all virtual entries and ran a computerized random selection. With roughly 200,000–250,000 registrations generating an estimated 500,000–700,000 virtual entries (accounting for the weighted distribution), the agency selected enough entries to fill the 85,000 regular cap (typically selecting 110,000–120,000 to account for dropouts and denials).

Estimated Selection Rates by Wage Level

Based on the registration volume, estimated wage-level distribution, and 85,000 cap target:

What This Means in Practice

If you are Level IV (senior/expert roles): You had better than a coin flip's chance of being selected. For senior software engineers, experienced data scientists, principal architects, and similar roles at major tech companies, these are the best odds the H-1B lottery has ever offered.

If you are Level III (mid-career): Your odds are solid — roughly 2 in 5 to 1 in 2. This covers many standard professional roles in tech, finance, and healthcare with several years of experience.

If you are Level II (early-career professionals): Your odds are similar to the overall rate under the old random system, roughly 1 in 3 to 1 in 4. Not great, but not dramatically worse than before.

If you are Level I (entry-level): This is where the wage-weighted system hits hardest. With only one virtual entry competing against Level IV applicants with four entries each, selection rates may be as low as 10–18%. Recent graduates in entry-level positions, IT consulting staff at lower wage levels, and training-level roles are most affected.

Key Observations from FY2027 Results

Level I and Level II Are Still Getting Selected

Despite the weighted odds, reports from immigration attorneys confirm that Level I and Level II registrations were selected. The system reduces your odds — it does not eliminate them. Even at a 10% selection rate, that is still 1 in 10, which many applicants in the old high-volume lottery years would have envied.

Bulk Registrations Have Collapsed

Immigration attorneys report that "bulk registrations" from offshore outsourcing and IT staffing firms have dropped precipitously. Companies that previously filed hundreds or thousands of registrations are now filing a fraction of that. The $100K fee made overseas hiring prohibitively expensive for high-volume, lower-wage positions.

F-1 OPT Students Are a Larger Share of the Pool

With overseas beneficiaries declining due to the $100K fee, F-1 OPT students already in the US now represent a larger proportion of total registrations. These workers are exempt from the supplemental fee and typically have higher wage levels (as they are being hired by US companies at US market rates).

Will There Be a Second Lottery for FY2027?

Unlikely. Here is why:

USCIS confirmed enough registrations were received to fill the 85,000 cap

No second lottery was conducted for FY2026 (cap was reached from initial selections)

Lower registration volumes and higher selection rates mean more of the cap is likely filled from the first round

USCIS typically over-selects by 30–40% to account for petitions that are never filed or are denied

However, USCIS has not officially ruled out a second lottery. If an unusually high number of selected petitions go unfiled (possible given the $100K fee deterrent), a second round could occur later in the summer. Check USCIS announcements regularly.

If You Were Selected: Next Steps

Immediate Actions (April–June 2026)

Verify your selection notice in your USCIS online account

Coordinate with your employer and immigration attorney to prepare the I-129 petition

Gather supporting documents: degree evaluations, pay stubs, offer letters, specialty occupation evidence

File the petition before June 30, 2026 — this is a hard deadline

Consider premium processing ($2,805) for a 15-business-day adjudication if timing is critical

Common Pitfalls

Do not let the filing deadline pass. If your employer misses June 30, your selection is void

Ensure wage level consistency. The wage level on your LCA must match or exceed what was registered. USCIS will deny petitions where the actual wage is lower than what was claimed at registration

Prepare for RFEs. USCIS is issuing Requests for Evidence at higher rates, particularly for specialty occupation claims. Have detailed job descriptions and expert letters ready

If You Were NOT Selected: Your Options

Stay on Your Current Status

If you are on OPT or STEM OPT, you can continue working until your authorization expires. If you are on a different visa, maintain your current status and plan for the FY2028 lottery.

Cap-Exempt H-1B Employment

Universities, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations are exempt from the H-1B cap. You can work for these employers on an H-1B at any time — no lottery required. The $100K fee also does not apply if you are already in the US.

Alternative Visa Categories

O-1B (Extraordinary Ability): For individuals with extraordinary achievement in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. Higher bar but no cap.

L-1 (Intracompany Transfer): If you can work at an overseas office of the same company for one year, you may qualify for an L-1 transfer back to the US.

EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability Green Card): Direct green card path for those meeting the criteria — no employer sponsorship required.

Day 1 CPT: Some accredited universities offer Curricular Practical Training from day one of enrollment. This is legal but heavily scrutinized by USCIS.

Try Again Next Year

The FY2028 lottery registration will open in March 2027. Given current trends — declining registration volumes and a shrinking applicant pool — your odds next year may be even better. If you can maintain valid status until then, re-entering the lottery remains a viable strategy.

How This Compares to Previous Years

The Bottom Line

The FY2027 lottery marks a turning point for the H-1B program. Wage-weighted selection rewards higher-paid positions, the $100K fee has transformed who applies, and the overall pool is the smallest in years. For high-wage applicants, this is the best lottery environment in the program's history. For entry-level workers, the math has gotten significantly harder.

Whether you were selected or not, the trend is clear: the H-1B program is moving toward fewer, higher-paid, US-based beneficiaries. Plan accordingly.

Data sourced from USCIS official announcements, RedBus2US, Fisher Phillips, Seyfarth Shaw, and immigration attorney reports. Updated April 2026.