On March 27, 2023, USCIS announced it had received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2024 H-1B cap, including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap). USCIS announced last week that it received a whopping 780,884 total registrations for the lottery. For context, last year USCIS received 483,927 total registrations. As a reminder, there are only 85,000 H-1B lottery visas available, making the selection rate for this year a mere 8%.
Measures to Combat Fraud in the Registration Process
The large number of registrations for beneficiaries with multiple eligible registrations has raised concerns about fraud. USCIS remains committed to deterring and preventing abuse of the registration process and ensuring that only those who follow the law are eligible to file an H-1B cap petition.
At the time of submission for registration, each prospective petitioner is required to sign an attestation, under penalty of perjury, confirming the truthfulness and accuracy of the information provided. USCIS may deny or revoke petition approvals based on false attestations and refer individuals or entities who submitted false attestations to appropriate federal law enforcement agencies. USCIS may also refer the individual or entity who submitted a false attestation to appropriate law enforcement agencies for investigation and further action.
USCIS is working on an upcoming H-1B modernization rule to bolster the registration process and reduce possibility of fraud and misuse in the H-1B registration system.
The H-1B Electronic Registration Process aims to simplify and streamline the process of filing H-1B cap-subject petitions. With recent updates to combat fraud, USCIS continues to work on improving the system.
