USCIS has confirmed it received enough petitions to meet the FY 2027 H-1B cap (65,000 regular + 20,000 U.S. master’s). No second lottery will be held. All non-selected registrations will be marked “Not Selected.”
This is also the first cap season under the new weighted, wage-based selection system, which favoured higher-wage offers and advanced-degree candidates. Registrations dropped 38.5% year-over-year, and 71.5% of selected beneficiaries held U.S. advanced degrees.
Cap-exempt filings (transfers, extensions, amendments, university/nonprofit petitions) are unaffected. Employers should start prevailing wage planning now for FY 2028.
The Law Offices of Luke Bowman will continue tracking developments and will provide updates as additional information becomes available regarding participating consulates, implementation timelines, and application procedures. If you have questions about how this may affect your organization or immigration matters, or if you would like a case-specific assessment, please book an appointment here.