If you’re planning to work in the United States, the H1B visa program is one of the most popular ways of doing so. The H1B visa allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations for a temporary period. The H1B lottery system is the process that determines which applicants can actually work under the H1B visa program. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the H1B visa 2018 lottery date.

Key Takeaways

• The H1B visa program allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations.
• There is a limit to the number of H1B visas available each year.
• The H1B visa lottery is the process that determines which applicants can actually work under the H1B visa program.
• The H1B visa lottery takes place in early April of each year for the following fiscal year.
• You can increase your chances of being selected in the H1B visa lottery by applying through multiple companies or under different categories.

Latest Update on H1B Visa 2018 Lottery Dates

In 2018, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received over 190,000 H1B visa petitions for the available 85,000 H1B visas (including 20,000 visas set aside for those with Master’s degrees). Due to the high number of applications, the H1B visa lottery was conducted in two phases:

• The first phase was conducted for those with Master’s degrees or higher. Around 20,000 applicants were selected in this phase.
• The second phase was conducted for the remaining 65,000 H1B visa petitions. After the second phase of the H1B lottery, around 45,000 applicants were selected for an H1B visa.

The H1B visa program for the fiscal year 2018 started on October 1st, 2017, and ended on September 30th, 2018.

How the H1B Visa Lottery Works

The H1B visa lottery is a random selection process. Each year, the USCIS receives more applications than the number of visas available. Therefore, a computer-generated random selection process is conducted to select the number of H1B visas available.

H1B Visa 2018 Lottery Dates

The H1B visa lottery for the fiscal year 2018 took place in the first week of April 2018. The exact date for the H1B visa lottery varies each year. However, it generally takes place in the first week of April.

H1B Visa 2018 Lottery Process

The H1B visa lottery process has two stages. The first stage is to randomly select 20,000 applicants who hold a Master’s degree or higher from US universities. The second stage is to randomly select the remaining 65,000 applicants who do not hold a Master’s degree or higher.

The applicants who are selected in the H1B visa lottery are then required to submit additional paperwork such as Form I-129, Petition for Non-immigrant Worker, and other supporting documentation. If the USCIS approves their application, the applicants receive their H1B visa.

Tips to Increase Your Chances of Being Selected in the H1B Visa Lottery

• Apply through multiple companies: You can increase your chances of being selected in the H1B visa lottery by applying through multiple companies. Each company can file an H1B visa petition on behalf of the applicant.
• Apply under different categories: You can also apply under different H1B visa categories to increase your chances of being selected. For example, you may be eligible to apply for an H1B visa under the cap-exempt category if you have a job offer from a non-profit organization or a government research institution.

Conclusion

The H1B visa lottery is the process that determines which applicants can actually work under the H1B visa program. The H1B visa lottery for the fiscal year 2018 took place in early April 2018. If you’re interested in applying for the H1B visa program, it’s important to be aware of the lottery system and its dates to maximize your chances of being selected.

FAQs

1. How many H1B visas are available each year?

The number of H1B visas available each year is 85,000, which includes 20,000 visas set aside for those with Master’s degrees.

2. What is the H1B visa lottery?

The H1B visa lottery is the process that determines which applicants can actually work under the H1B visa program. It is a random selection process as the number of applications exceeds the number of visas available.

3. What are some tips to increase my chances of being selected in the H1B visa lottery?

You can increase your chances of being selected by applying through multiple companies or under different categories such as cap-exempt.