Decrease in H1B Visa Lottery Bids in the U.S. as Crackdown on Fraud and Abuse Intensifies

The United States has seen a significant decrease in applications for skilled-worker visa lotteries following the implementation of strict measures to prevent fraud and abuse. According to a recent report by AP, lottery bids have dropped by 40% this year, a development that authorities are calling a ‘great success’ in combating exploitation of the system.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that for the Fiscal Year 2025 H-1B cap petitions, random selections have been made and notifications are being sent to myUSCIS accounts. The government reported receiving 470,342 entries in the final week of March for this year’s lottery, a 38% decrease from last year’s total of 758,994. However, the number of individuals applying to work in the U.S. remained steady, with about 442,000 applicants this year compared to 446,000 last year.

The USCIS noted that the decrease in applications indicates fewer attempts to gain an unfair advantage compared to previous years. The new rules implemented earlier this year limit each worker to one visa application, regardless of the number of job offers they receive. This change was made after over 400,000 of the 759,000 registrations filed the previous year were found to be duplicates.

The shift in the visa application process came after the government transitioned from requiring bulky paperwork to a $10 online registration fee. This change led to a surge in applications from 2021 to 2023, with the number tripling. The new system allowed applicants to easily apply for multiple job roles, overwhelming both the industry and the government.

In recent years, nearly 70% of all 85,000 available H1B visa slots have been allocated to Indian technology workers, making them the largest visa category under the cap-subject H1B visa category.