U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services have concluded all receipt of the required H1-B petitions for the fiscal year (FY) 2021. This includes 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 for the H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption quota.

All the petitioners were to create an online account with USCIS. All statuses are updated via this account. Those not selected in the random lottery process have been notified through the same registrants’ online accounts. 

The status in the account should read as follows:

Not Selected: Not selected for this fiscal year

Who Can Still Apply For FY 2021 (last year’s) H1-B Lottery

While USCIS has stopped accepting H1-B visa applications for FY 2021, there are certain petition categories of H1-B visas still being accepted. These include – 

• H1-B petitions that are otherwise exempt from the FY 2021 H1-B cap;
• H1-B petitions filed for existing H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap;
• Current H1-B visa holders who still retain their cap number;
• H1-B petitions requesting an extension on their current valid visa to continue remaining in the United States;
• Current H-1B workers petitioning for a change in the terms of employment;
• Petition signaling a change of employers for existing H-1B workers according to the AC21 Portability Act;
• Petitions allowing current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B position.

Update For FY 2022 H1-B Lottery Cap

USCIS has announced dates for the new, formalized registrations that all sponsoring employers have to do before submitting an H1-B petition.

Starting March 9, 2021 and until March 25, 2021 employers can create an online account and register their primary H1-B beneficiaries.

On March 31, 2021, USCIS conducts random lottery from the registrations submitted for regular cap quota of 65,000 and master’s quota of 20,000.

H1-B Lottery Results: Starting March 31, 2021, USCIS will notify the applicants who were selected lottery. This is done through their individual accounts.

For further details about the FY 2022 H1-B lottery process, timelines and registration read our blog.