On December 23, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it finalized its proposal to overhaul how U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) selects H-1B registrations for H-1B cap-subject petitions. The final rule replaces the random selection with a weighted, wage-level based selection that operates alongside the beneficiary-centric system adopted in 2024. The weighted lottery selection will take effect on February 27, 2026, in time for the upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2027 H 1B lottery season, with registration occurring in early 2026.
