The H-1B visa program, which allows US companies to hire foreign workers who have specific talents, began registrations for fiscal year 2025 on March 6. In January, claims appeared that the US government agency was considering changing the annual lottery process for this visa category, indicating a big shift in the application procedure.
During a news conference to discuss concerns about the H-1B visa process and the backlog of green card applications, White House news Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reaffirmed President Joe Biden’s commitment to resolving challenges within the legal immigration system.
To streamline operations, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched organisational accounts under myUSCIS to boost collaboration and overall user experience.
Checking The Registration Trends Over The Last Three Years Gives The Following Insights:
- In 2022, there were 308,613 registrations, with 131,924 applications being selected for further processing.
- In 2023, registrations scaled to 483,927, with 127,600 applications chosen.
- Notably, registrations increased to 780,884 in 2024, with 188,400 applications being chosen.
Key Dates For The H-1B Visa Process In The Upcoming Fiscal Year:
- March 6: H-1B registration period starts
- March 22: H-1B registration period ends
- March 31: USCIS intends to notify selected registrants
- April 1: The earliest day to submit H-1B petitions for the 2025 fiscal year for those chosen during the initial selection process.
How Do I Register?
- To submit an H-1B registration, first create a USCIS online account.
- The registration period for Fiscal Year 2025 will be available from March 6 to March 22. Both representatives and registrants are obliged to postpone the development and submission of H-1B registrations until March 1.
- Individuals handling their registrations, known as “registrants,” including US employers and agents, will use an “organisational” account, formerly known as a “registrant” account, beginning February 28, 2024. Beginning February 28, 2024, registrants can register new organisational accounts. Those with current registrant accounts can upgrade to an organizational account rather than obtaining a new one.
- Representatives can create accounts at any time using the current representative account type. If they already have a representative account, there is no need to open another one.
- Representatives can also upgrade to an organizational account, which will be accessible beginning February 28, 2024.
