United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) reported on July 30, 2024, that they will be conducting a second random selection from previously submitted Fiscal Year 2025 (“FY2025”) H-1B Cap registrations. A specific date for the selection was not announced, the Service noting that it would be “soon”.

A second selection for the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap) will not be conducted. The Service reports having received sufficient petitions based on the submitted registrations to meet the FY2025 master’s cap numerical allocation. The second round of selection for the regular cap will include previously submitted registrations that indicated eligibility for the master’s cap along with those that indicated only eligibility for the regular cap.

The first random selection by USCIS took place in March this past year and the Service reported having received approximately 442,000 registrations from unique beneficiaries for the FY2025 cap. Of these registrations, the service selected 114,017 (approximately 25.8%).

An announcement upon competition of the second random selection and notifications to all prospective petitioners who will be eligible to file H-1B cap subject petitions are sent out will be forthcoming. Registrants will have their myUSCIS accounts updated to include the selection notice which will detail when and where to file their petitions for FY2025.

Update August 5, 2024: USCIS announced a second random selection had taken place and reports having a sufficient number of registrations for unique beneficiaries to reach the regular H-1B cap from the properly submitted FY 2025 registrations that remained after the first selection process.