Second H1B visa lottery uncertain but not impossible, expert claims

The H1B visa is a highly sought-after visa for professional workers who want to work in the United States, and the lottery system can be unpredictable. The lottery for 2023 has concluded, but do not lose hope just yet. One year, there were two supplementary lotteries after the first round and hence, there is reason to speculate that there might be at least another round of lottery this year too. 

 The H1B visa lottery is an annual process that determines which foreign workers will be granted visas to work in the United States. 

 How the second round of the lottery is decided? 

The government statistically computes the number of applicants that would be needed to fulfill the visa allotment that they have and typically selects more applicants than the available number of visas to account for those who do not end up filing for various reasons. “If the computations, which are only statistical projections,  are incorrect and there are leftover visas, a second round of the lottery may be held to allocate the remaining visas, Rajiv S. Khanna, managing attorney at Immigration.com, the Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna, PC, said.

Is there any chance of doing a second round?

The possibility of a second round of the H1B visa lottery this year is uncertain, but not impossible. The IT industry has faced layoffs, and some employers are hesitant to commit to hiring foreign workers. This uncertainty has led to delays in the filing of H1B visa applications, with some employers waiting to see how the market evolves before submitting their applications.

Despite this, the decision to hold a second round of the H1B visa lottery ultimately lies with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). During one fiscal year year, there were two supplemental rounds of the lottery due to significant deviations in the projections, so there is a precedent for a second round to be held this year too, Khanna opines

In any case, foreign workers and employers who are interested in H1B visas should stay informed and continue to monitor USCIS updates to ensure they do not miss any important deadlines or information. The H1B visa lottery is a complex process that requires careful attention and planning, and any changes or updates to the process should be taken seriously.