U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on April 1, 2024, that USCIS received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption, also known as the master’s cap.
USCIS selected 114,017 beneficiaries, resulting in 120,603 selected registrations in the initial selection for the FY 2025 H-1B cap.
During the registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap, USCIS saw a significant decrease in the total number of registrations submitted compared to FY 2024, including a decrease in the number of registrations submitted on behalf of beneficiaries with multiple registrations.
- The number of unique beneficiaries this year for FY 2025 (approx. 442,000) was comparable to the number last year for FY 2024 (approx. 446,000).
- The number of unique employers this year for FY 2025 (approx. 52,700) was also comparable to the number last year for FY 2024 (approx. 52,000).
- The number of eligible registrations, however, was down dramatically for FY 2025 (470,342) compared with FY 2024 (758,994) — a 38.6% reduction.
- Overall, USCIS saw an average of 1.06 registrations per beneficiary this year in FY 2025 compared to 1.70 for FY 2024.
For more data, please visit the H-1B Electronic Registration Process page.
Measures to Secure the Registration Process
USCIS remain committed to deterring and preventing abuse of the H-1B registration process, and to ensuring that only those who follow the law are eligible to file an H-1B cap petition.
The initial data for the registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap indicates that there were far fewer attempts to gain an unfair advantage than in prior years, owing in large measure to the implementation of the beneficiary-centric selection process under the final rule on Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity.
Based on evidence from the FY 2023 and FY 2024 H-1B cap seasons, USCIS have undertaken thorough fraud investigations, denied and revoked petitions accordingly, and continue to make law enforcement referrals for criminal prosecution. USCIS is also reviewing the FY 2025 data for any attempts to gain an unfair advantage through the beneficiary-centric process. USCIS will deny or revoke any petitions and make law enforcement referrals for criminal prosecution accordingly.
USCIS believe that the decreased filing rate for FY 2024 H-1B cap petitions and the decreased registration numbers for FY 2025 are indicative that these investigations and the beneficiary-centric selection process have been effective integrity measures.
The H-1B program is an essential part of the nation’s immigration system and the economy, and USCIS is committed to implementing the law and helping meet the ever-changing needs of the U.S. labor market.
More Information
For additional information on the H-1B cap season, please visit the H-1B Cap Season webpage. Visit the H-1B Electronic Registration Process page for more information on electronic registration.
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