38.5% drop in H-1B registrations for FY 2027: Immigration attorney says numbers were like this 10 years ago

The USCIS published the details of the H-1B FY 2027 lottery as the season comes to a close and celebrated the 38.5% drop in the registration, attributing it to President Donald Trump’s America First policies. In a year, the number of registrations dropped from 343,981 in fiscal year 2026 to just 211,600 in fiscal year 2027. “This data is a clear sign that the days of abusing the program with mass, low-wage registrations are over, and that the program is better serving its intended purpose of attracting highly skilled foreign workers and protecting the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities of American workers,” the agency said.

On wage-based selection which was introduced for the first time this year, replacing the random lottery, the agency said it approved more applicants with advanced degrees and higher salaries and prioritized those who studied at US universities.