According to USCIS, 358,737 registrations were submitted for the H-1B visa for the 2026 fiscal year — fewer than in previous years.
For comparison: nearly 480,000 applications were submitted in 2025. However, demand remains consistently high — over 343,000 candidates are competing for 85,000 visas.
Key FY2026 figures:
Registrations submitted: 358,737
Eligible for selection: 343,981
Selected for petition submission: 120,141
Unique applicants: 339,000
Employers: approximately 57,600
Average duplicate registrations per applicant: just 1.01
This year, USCIS implemented a new, more transparent approach to the lottery — each applicant participated only once, regardless of how many employers submitted their registration. This reduced the number of duplicate applications and more accurately reflected real demand.
Experts believe these changes make the process fairer. As one analyst noted:
“This isn’t a sign of reduced interest, but a result of a new system that makes selection more objective and understandable.”
Key takeaways:
New registration fee: $215 (up from $10)
Employers have become more selective, especially when hiring for specific projects
The tech market remains dynamic, and interest in hiring foreign specialists continues
It’s important to understand that the H-1B visa is still in high demand, and the U.S. remains a top destination for highly skilled professionals worldwide. The drop in total applications reflects system improvements, not reduced opportunities.
Court Overturns Pause on Immigration Application Processing
On May 29, Federal Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts ordered the Trump administration to lift the pause on processing several immigration applications that had been imposed earlier this year.
This ruling affects applicants from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Latin American countries, and other regions who are in the U.S. under humanitarian parole programs, including:
240,000 Ukrainians under the Uniting for Ukraine program
530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans
Afghans and others admitted for humanitarian reasons
The pause, introduced in February, prevented these individuals from applying to legalize their status — including applications for asylum, TPS (Temporary Protected Status), and green cards. The court ruled that such actions violate federal administrative law and are not in the public interest.
The decision also:
Requires the government to resume processing requests for parole extensions
Prohibits further blocking of applications from military family members and veterans under long-standing humanitarian parole programs
