H-1B Visa shake-up: New rules and higher fees shrink applicant pool

The number of eligible registrations for the annual H-1B visa lottery plunged to 343,981 in March 2025 for the FY2026 cycle — a sharp decline from 470,342 the previous year, according to data released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Tuesday. This marks the lowest tally in four years and signals a significant shift in how companies approach the visa program.