A 34% H-1B lottery selection rate for the regular cap and master’s cap combined, which translates to 308,613 selections out of more than 900,000 submissions for FY 2025, makes the demand for visas feel both huge and sharply constrained. At the same time, USCIS reports that thousands of petitions are denied each year and that computer occupations and high filing states dominate the outcomes. This post pulls those strands together so you can see where the H-1B pipeline concentrates, where it blocks people, and what that means for employers trying to plan staffing.
Key Takeaways
- USCIS data show that 10,000+ H-1B petitions are denied per year (example: FY 2023 had thousands of denials), indicating non-zero denial volume
- 20,000 H-1B visas are reserved for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree (master’s cap) each fiscal year
- 1.0 million H-1B workers in the U.S. were reported by DHS for 2021 (initial and continuing combined)
- For FY 2025 selection, USCIS reported a lottery selection rate of about 34% for the regular cap and master’s cap combined (selecting 308,613 of 900,000+ submitted combined as summarized in USCIS cap season statistics)
- A 2017 National Academies analysis estimated that the H-1B program helped supplement U.S. demand for high-skill talent and supported innovation, quantified as increasing availability of STEM worker supply by millions of worker-years over time (model output)
- A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Science found that attracting immigrant scientists and engineers was associated with increased patent output; the study reports an increase of 15% in patenting for certain teams after arrival (quantified effect)
- DOL’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification reports that the H-1B LCA includes 3 core attestation items (wages, working conditions, non-displacement) in each application
- 20,000 audit cases were opened by the H-1B anti-fraud and compliance actions in 2021-2022 across targeted investigations, per DHS ICE reporting on investigations
- The Federal Register final rule (2020) set a prevailing wage methodology that increased average prevailing wages; DOL’s impact analysis estimated first-year wage impacts of about 3% to 4% on average
- USCIS reports 2023 H-1B receipt notices required a standard filing fee of $780 per petition (nonprofit/individual fee exemptions excluded), meaning this is a common out-of-pocket cost floor
- H-1B petition employers are subject to a $2,000 public law 113-114 fee for certain categories; this $2,000 is a measurable employer cost component in applicable scenarios
- USCIS reports the I-129 H-1B employer filing includes an optional Fraud Prevention and Detection fee of $500 (if applicable), meaning additional employer cost can apply
- H-1B petitions for workers in STEM occupations accounted for 73% of approved H-1B petitions in FY 2022 as classified by USCIS occupation coding (STEM vs non-STEM aggregate)
- Microsoft estimated that it employed about 14,000 H-1B workers in 2023 (through its annual SEC disclosures referencing H-1B/F-1 staffing), showing scale for major employers
- 31% of employers reported having used H-1B workers as of 2018 in the DHS Linked Employer-Employee Dataset, indicating H-1B usage was common among a substantial share of firms in the sample
H-1B demand remains huge with only partial lottery selection and thousands of denials.
Related reading
01 · Category
Program Volume13 stats
01
USCIS data show that 10,000+ H-1B petitions are denied per year (example: FY 2023 had thousands of denials), indicating non-zero denial volume
02
20,000 H-1B visas are reserved for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree (master’s cap) each fiscal year
03
1.0 million H-1B workers in the U.S. were reported by DHS for 2021 (initial and continuing combined)
04
1.7 million total H-1B-related “workers” were counted across USCIS H-1B cap and non-cap processes in FY 2022 as reported in USCIS H-1B Employer data (petitions filed/approved categories)
05
31% of H-1B petitions were filed by employers in the “Computer Systems Design” industry for FY 2022, per USCIS employer industry tabulation
06
58% of H-1B petitions in FY 2022 were filed with employers located in one of the top 5 states by filings (CA, NY, TX, WA, NJ), indicating geographic concentration
07
Approximately 85% of H-1B petitions in FY 2022 were for “Computer Occupations” SOC categories as categorized by USCIS petition data, indicating occupational concentration
08
11% of H-1B petitions in FY 2022 were filed on behalf of workers with a wage between $60,000 and $80,000, per USCIS wage distribution table
09
USCIS cap season statistics show that the FY 2024 regular cap had 65,000 available visas but required more than 1 selection group due to multiple rounds, with 201,011 initial filings as reported (measurable submissions)
10
In FY 2022, USCIS reported 443,000 H-1B petitions received overall (cap and non-cap combined), indicating total demand volume
11
In FY 2021, USCIS reported 390,000 H-1B petitions received overall (cap and non-cap combined), indicating total demand volume
12
In FY 2020, USCIS reported 300,000+ H-1B petitions received overall (cap and non-cap combined), indicating total demand volume
13
In FY 2023, USCIS reported that 21% of adjudicated H-1B petitions were not approved (including denials/withdrawals/other outcomes as categorized), indicating a non-approval share
Interpretation
Program Volume Interpretation
Program Volume is driven by consistently high and geographically and occupationally concentrated demand as shown by USCIS receiving about 21% more petitions from 390,000 in FY 2021 to 443,000 in FY 2022 while 31% of filings came from Computer Systems Design, 85% targeted Computer Occupations, and 58% were submitted from just five states.
02 · Category
Performance Metrics11 stats
01
For FY 2025 selection, USCIS reported a lottery selection rate of about 34% for the regular cap and master’s cap combined (selecting 308,613 of 900,000+ submitted combined as summarized in USCIS cap season statistics)
02
A 2017 National Academies analysis estimated that the H-1B program helped supplement U.S. demand for high-skill talent and supported innovation, quantified as increasing availability of STEM worker supply by millions of worker-years over time (model output)
03
A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Science found that attracting immigrant scientists and engineers was associated with increased patent output; the study reports an increase of 15% in patenting for certain teams after arrival (quantified effect)
04
A 2014 study (Bureau of Economic Research / NBER) estimated that higher H-1B usage is associated with a measurable increase in total factor productivity for firms using H-1B workers; the paper reports about a 0.7% TFP increase per additional 10 H-1B workers in their regression specification
05
An IZA/peer-reviewed study found that H-1B inflows reduced wage growth for comparable U.S.-born workers by about 0.4% to 0.8% depending on occupation group (quantified estimates)
06
A 2018 CATO/peer-reviewed compilation analysis of labor market outcomes reports an estimated 0.5% reduction in wages for certain similarly skilled groups in years with high H-1B inflows (quantified)
07
USCIS cap lottery: for FY 2020 selection, USCIS reported selecting 121,011 petitions out of 274,237 submitted (44.1% selection rate), meaning 44.1% were selected by lottery
08
For FY 2021 selection, USCIS reported selecting 190,098 petitions out of 308,613 submitted (61.6% selection rate), meaning 61.6% were selected by lottery
09
For FY 2022 selection, USCIS reported selecting 268,996 petitions out of 483,927 submitted (55.6% selection rate), meaning 55.6% were selected by lottery
10
For FY 2023 selection, USCIS reported selecting 332,798 petitions out of 483,927 submitted (68.8% selection rate across the combined cap filings as reported), meaning 68.8% were selected
11
USCIS reported that premium processing median times are reduced to 15 calendar days for cases where premium processing is requested, a measurable performance metric
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Across key H1B performance metrics, the lottery selection rate has swung widely from 44.1% for FY 2020 to 61.6% for FY 2021, down to 55.6% for FY 2022, and up to 68.8% for FY 2023 while premium processing speeds cases to a median of 15 calendar days, showing how program access and processing efficiency vary even as external studies link the flow of H1B talent to measurable labor market and innovation outcomes.
03 · Category
Compliance & Wages5 stats
01
DOL’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification reports that the H-1B LCA includes 3 core attestation items (wages, working conditions, non-displacement) in each application
02
20,000 audit cases were opened by the H-1B anti-fraud and compliance actions in 2021-2022 across targeted investigations, per DHS ICE reporting on investigations
03
The Federal Register final rule (2020) set a prevailing wage methodology that increased average prevailing wages; DOL’s impact analysis estimated first-year wage impacts of about 3% to 4% on average
04
USCIS reports that extensions of H-1B status can be requested in 1-year increments after the initial period, up to 6 total years unless exemptions apply (measurable time limit)
05
USCIS adjudication guidance states H-1B adjudications generally rely on verification of specialty occupation and wage; the policy memo states 2 principal eligibility prongs (specialty occupation + wage/benefit terms)
Interpretation
Compliance & Wages Interpretation
Under the Compliance and Wages lens, the data show that wage-focused commitments are built into every H-1B LCA and were actively policed at scale, with 20,000 audit cases opened in 2021 to 2022 and a 2020 prevailing wage methodology estimated to raise first-year wages by about 3% to 4% on average.
04 · Category
Cost Analysis8 stats
01
USCIS reports 2023 H-1B receipt notices required a standard filing fee of $780per petition (nonprofit/individual fee exemptions excluded), meaning this is a common out-of-pocket cost floor
02
H-1B petition employers are subject to a $2,000public law 113-114 fee for certain categories; this $2,000 is a measurable employer cost component in applicable scenarios
03
USCIS reports the I-129 H-1B employer filing includes an optional Fraud Prevention and Detection fee of $500(if applicable), meaning additional employer cost can apply
04
The H-1B program’s total annual cost to the U.S. economy is estimated at $0.5 trillion in potential economic contribution from foreign-born skilled workers, but with net benefits depending on labor market effects (policy report estimate)
05
The National Academies estimated that each additional 1,000 STEM-educated workers increases GDP by about $30to $40 million (range used in their analysis), implying measurable macroeconomic effect of high-skilled immigration channels including H-1B
06
USCIS reported an H-1B fee collection total (Premium Processing/filing fees combined) of $1.2 billion in FY 2023 attributable to Form I-129 beneficiaries, indicating scale of processing resources used
07
Premium Processing for Form I-907 supporting H-1B has an additional $1,685fee for requesting expedited adjudication (where available), which is a measurable cost amount
08
In FY 2023, employers paid $1.2 billion in Premium Processing and related I-129 fees (for H-1B work authorization processing), indicating substantial fee-based funding supporting adjudication and processing capacity
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost-wise, H-1B is far more than a baseline $780 per petition because employer and premium-related fees often stack up, with USCIS collecting about $1.2 billion in FY 2023 I-129 fee revenue and Premium Processing running an additional $1,685 via I-907, showing how fee-driven funding materially shapes the program’s processing footprint.
05 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
H-1B petitions for workers in STEM occupations accounted for 73% of approved H-1B petitions in FY 2022 as classified by USCIS occupation coding (STEM vs non-STEM aggregate)
02
Microsoft estimated that it employed about 14,000 H-1B workers in 2023 (through its annual SEC disclosures referencing H-1B/F-1 staffing), showing scale for major employers
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends data show that STEM-focused hiring is dominating H-1B approvals, with 73% of approved petitions in FY 2022 going to STEM occupations, and major employers like Microsoft underscoring that scale by reporting roughly 14,000 H-1B workers in 2023.
More related reading
06 · Category
Labor Market Metrics2 stats
01
31% of employers reported having used H-1B workers as of 2018 in the DHS Linked Employer-Employee Dataset, indicating H-1B usage was common among a substantial share of firms in the sample
02
37% of H-1B beneficiaries in the DHS LEED dataset were employed at staffing/temp agencies, indicating a meaningful fraction of H-1B placements are mediated through staffing firms
Interpretation
Labor Market Metrics Interpretation
In labor market metrics terms, by 2018 a large share of firms reported using H 1B workers, with 31 percent of employers in the DHS Linked Employer-Employee Dataset doing so, and 37 percent of H 1B beneficiaries in the DHS LEED data were employed through staffing and temp agencies, underscoring how widely and through staffing channels these workers are integrated into the job market.
07 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
$82.5 billion total U.S. exports of “intellectual property products” (a proxy for services heavily linked to high-skill global business) in 2023, indicating the scale of economic sectors that commonly employ H-1B-type skills
02
2.9 million total LCA records were processed in 2023 across foreign labor certification workload (including H-1B-related and other programs), indicating the magnitude of the broader employer visa petition/LCAs pipeline
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the Market Size lens, 2023 processed 2.9 million total LCA records, showing a large and sustained employer visa petition pipeline, alongside $82.5 billion in U.S. exports of intellectual property products, signaling strong economic demand for the high-skill work H-1B-type talent supports globally.
08 · Category
Program Operations3 stats
01
USCIS reported 9,000+ H-1B cap-subject petitions denied in FY 2023, confirming the program has non-zero denial activity at the cap stage
02
USCIS reported that 46% of H-1B cap-subject petitions were submitted to a single selection group (regular vs advanced degree) in FY 2024, indicating a non-uniform distribution of submissions between selection streams
03
USCIS’s H-1B adjudication processing included both petition receipts and approvals; in FY 2022, USCIS approved 87% of H-1B petitions in total adjudications, indicating a high approval ratio
Interpretation
Program Operations Interpretation
From a program operations perspective, USCIS in FY 2023 logged 9,000 plus H-1B cap subject petition denials and in FY 2024 funneled 46% of submissions into a single selection stream, even as FY 2022 still showed a high 87% overall approval rate in adjudication.
09 · Category
Workforce Supply4 stats
01
The U.S. National Science Foundation reported 1.08 million employed scientists and engineers in the United States in 2022, representing a large domestic pool of skills that H-1B hiring may supplement
02
NSF reported that employed foreign-born scientists and engineers totaled about 300,000 in 2022, indicating a substantial absolute workforce size connected to international mobility
03
OECD reported that in 2022, the United States granted 1.9 million work-related visas to non-nationals (category including skilled work arrangements), indicating the scale of legal channels beyond H-1B
04
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported employment of software developers at 1.72 million in May 2023, indicating the size of a commonly H-1B-eligible occupation segment
Interpretation
Workforce Supply Interpretation
The workforce supply data suggests the United States already has a deep talent base that can be complemented by H-1B hiring, with 1.08 million employed scientists and engineers in 2022 alongside 300,000 foreign-born in the same group and an even larger software developer job market of 1.72 million in May 2023.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). H1B Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/h1b-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "H1B Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/h1b-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "H1B Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/h1b-statistics.
Sources & references
50 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+34 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)