Registrations Under New H-1B Visa Rules Decreases By 38% – News18

Last Updated:January 28, 2025, 16:51 IST

Under the new H-1B visa process, each beneficiary can register only once, regardless of how many employers submit on their behalf.

The US administration has recently revised the H-1B visa selection process for foreigners working in the US. The move aims to ensure fairness, transparency, and efficiency in recruiting foreign talent in the US. Following the new rules, there has been a significant reduction in the number of registrations. Compared to last year, the registrations have reduced by 38 per cent, reported Times Of India.

Earlier, employers were allowed to submit multiple registrations for a single beneficiary, thereby increasing their chances of selection. However, under the new H-1B process, each beneficiary can register only once, regardless of how many employers submit on their behalf.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has informed that the move aims to eliminate multiple applications for the same candidate. “The new process ensures a fairer and more transparent selection, reducing the ability to manipulate the system,” USCIS said, the report added.

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Of the 479,953 registrations USCIS received this year, 470,342 have been deemed eligible. However, the number of registrations has seen a huge reduction from 2024, when 758,994 registrations were recorded. The average number of registrations per beneficiary dropped from 1.70 in Fiscal Year 2024 to 1.06 in Fiscal Year 2025. Around 442,000 unique beneficiaries were registered in FY 2025 while 446,000 registered in FY 2024.

Indians constitute the largest group of H-1B visa holders. Of the 386,000 H-1B visas granted in 2023, as many as 72.3 per cent were awarded to Indians. To register, applicants must pay $10 to USCIS. The duration of this visa is three years initially but it could be extended up to six years.

All Dropbox submissions are processed through the US Consulate in Chennai, although applicants can drop their documents at visa application centres across India. However, securing these slots has proven to be a challenge. The new process aims to streamline the renewal process for thousands of H-1B visa applicants, easing the burden of securing appointment slots at consulates.