USCIS announced the FY26 H1B lottery results last Friday. With the new beneficiary-centric selection process in its second year, individual registration odds shifted significantly compared to FY24. The new process aims to reduce duplicate registrations and reward candidates who file with a single dedicated sponsor.
If you were selected: confirm your I-129 filing window with your employer. Premium processing is recommended for anyone planning to start October 1 — it locks in a 15-day decision and lets you finalize relocation logistics in advance.
If you weren't selected: do not panic. Cap-exempt roles, O-1 visas, L-1B intracompany transfers, and consulate-staged options are all live. We've placed 184 not-selected candidates into US roles within 90 days of last year's lottery.
Soham Piprotar
Seaggle
