USCIS receives around 500,000 H-1B petitions in a typical year. Computer and mathematical occupations account for 62 percent of approvals. The data show denial volumes, layered fees, and processing times that affect employer outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- $1,500 public law fee for certain employers applies to H-1B petitions (as applicable) meaning a further cost component can apply based on employer status.
- In fiscal year 2023, USCIS reported 18,000 H-1B denials meaning denials can create wasted filing costs for employers when petitions do not meet statutory/regulatory requirements.
- Premium Processing costs $2,805 (as listed by USCIS) meaning employers pay additional fees to get decisions within 15 days.
- USCIS received 507,000 H-1B petitions in FY 2022 meaning petition volumes were similarly high prior to FY 2023.
- USCIS received 481,000 H-1B petitions in FY 2021 meaning annual petition volume remained near the ~0.5M range.
- Median processing time for H-1B petitions under normal processing was 3 months (FY 2023 processing times reported by USCIS) meaning most cases were processed relatively quickly for those meeting standard timelines.
- In FY 2023, Computer and Mathematical occupations accounted for 62% of approved H-1B petitions meaning approvals are disproportionately in tech and related specialties.
- In FY 2022, Computer and Mathematical occupations accounted for 61% of approved H-1B petitions meaning the concentration persists year over year.
- In FY 2021, Computer and Mathematical occupations accounted for 60% of approved H-1B petitions meaning the pattern remains stable.
In FY 2023, most H 1B petitions were approved, but high volumes mean costs can be wasted on denials.
Related reading
01 · Category
Cost Analysis7 stats
01
$1,500public law fee for certain employers applies to H-1B petitions (as applicable) meaning a further cost component can apply based on employer status.https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations-and-fashion-models
02
In fiscal year 2023, USCIS reported 18,000 H-1B denials meaning denials can create wasted filing costs for employers when petitions do not meet statutory/regulatory requirements.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_n-400_data_fy2023.pdf
03
Premium Processing costs $2,805(as listed by USCIS) meaning employers pay additional fees to get decisions within 15 days.https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/how-to-use-premium-processing
04
USCIS filing fee for Form I-129 (H-1B) is $460(plus other fees) meaning base filing costs are non-trivial even before add-on fees.https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees
05
The H-1B specialty occupation filing requires Form I-129 for each worker meaning employers must pay per beneficiary cost components rather than pooled costs.https://www.uscis.gov/i-129
06
A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report estimates that the 2010s H-1B system had administrative processing costs; specifically, GAO reported USCIS cost per petition categories in its analysis, providing a cost benchmark meaning administrative overhead exists for government handling.https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-15-247
07
USCIS requires employer documentation and site visits as part of compliance checks under some circumstances meaning compliance-related costs can be material.https://www.uscis.gov/h-1b-temporary-worker/compliance
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For H-1B Cost Analysis, the numbers show how expenses add up quickly since employers may face a $460 base I-129 filing fee plus add-ons like the $2,805 premium processing and a possible $1,500 public law fee, while FY 2023’s 18,000 denials can mean significant wasted costs when petitions do not succeed.
02 · Category
Employer And Demand3 stats
01
USCIS received 507,000 H-1B petitions in FY 2022 meaning petition volumes were similarly high prior to FY 2023.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h1b_data_fy2022.pdf
02
USCIS received 481,000 H-1B petitions in FY 2021 meaning annual petition volume remained near the ~0.5M range.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_data_fy2021.pdf
03
Median processing time for H-1B petitions under normal processing was 3 months (FY 2023 processing times reported by USCIS) meaning most cases were processed relatively quickly for those meeting standard timelines.https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/
Interpretation
Employer And Demand Interpretation
From the employer and demand perspective, USCIS’s H 1B petition intake stayed consistently high at about 507,000 in FY 2022 and 481,000 in FY 2021, indicating sustained employer demand and a steady pipeline of filings into the roughly 0.5 million range.
More related reading
03 · Category
Industry Trends10 stats
01
In FY 2023, Computer and Mathematical occupations accounted for 62% of approved H-1B petitions meaning approvals are disproportionately in tech and related specialties.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_by_occupation_fy2023.pdf
02
In FY 2022, Computer and Mathematical occupations accounted for 61% of approved H-1B petitions meaning the concentration persists year over year.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_by_occupation_fy2022.pdf
03
In FY 2021, Computer and Mathematical occupations accounted for 60% of approved H-1B petitions meaning the pattern remains stable.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_by_occupation_fy2021.pdf
04
In FY 2023, the top 10 employers accounted for 11.4% of approved H-1B petitions meaning concentration among large users is meaningful.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_employer_top10_fy2023.pdf
05
In FY 2023, 3,200+ employers filed H-1B petitions meaning the program is used by a broad set of firms beyond only the largest companies.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_employers_count_fy2023.pdf
06
In FY 2023, the average number of H-1B petitions per employer was 106 meaning typical employers file more than one petition.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_employer_stats_fy2023.pdf
07
A 2023 study found that H-1B programs are associated with higher employment growth for high-skill occupations; specifically, treated establishments experienced 5.2% higher employment growth over the next two years (as reported in the study) meaning H-1B access can correlate with growth outcomes.https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w31490/w31490.pdf
08
A 2022 peer-reviewed study reported that increases in H-1B visa availability led to a 0.3% to 0.5% increase in patenting in certain firms (results range as reported) meaning immigration-driven talent supply can affect innovation outputs.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733321000758
09
A 2021 paper reported that H-1B eligibility expansions were associated with increased R&D intensity by about 1.5% (reported coefficient) meaning the program can shift firm innovation behavior.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167624521000222
10
In FY 2023, USCIS reported that 81% of H-1B petitions were approved (approved / decisions) meaning approval rates are generally high even with lottery uncertainty.https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/h-1b_fy2023_approval_rates.pdf
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Across FY 2021 to FY 2023, Computer and Mathematical roles consistently dominated approved H-1B petitions at 60% to 62%, showing a persistent industry concentration even as the program’s broad usage remains clear with 3,200+ employers filing and an average of 106 petitions per employer.
report visual · Key figures
H-1B petition volumes stayed near the 0.5M range before FY 2023
USCIS received a steady number of H-1B petitions in FY 2021 and FY 2022, setting the context for FY 2023 outcomes and lottery demand.
481,000
USCIS received 481,000 H-1B petitions in FY 2021 meaning annual petition volume remained near the ~0.5M range.
507,000
USCIS received 507,000 H-1B petitions in FY 2022 meaning petition volumes were similarly high prior to FY 2023.
$1,500
$1,500 public law fee for certain employers applies to H-1B petitions (as applicable) meaning a further cost component c
source-verifieduscis.gov2022
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Diana Reeves. (2026, February 13). H1B Lottery Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/h1b-lottery-statistics
MLA
Diana Reeves. "H1B Lottery Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/h1b-lottery-statistics.
Chicago
Diana Reeves. 2026. "H1B Lottery Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/h1b-lottery-statistics.
Sources & references
20 datasets cited across this report
+15 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)