The recent changes in the H-1B application process in the United States have led to a significant decrease in registrations, with the number dropping by half. The new regulations and requirements have impacted the usual influx of applications for the popular visa program.

The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant work visa in the United States that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with skills for specific roles across various fields. To be eligible for an H-1B visa, individuals need a valid job offer from a U.S. employer and must be properly qualified.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is expecting about 350,000 people to apply for H-1B visas this year. It is much lower than last year when they received a whopping 758,994 applications, out of which 408,891 were duplicates.

The USCIS decided to tweak the registration process this time, cutting the number of entries in half to tackle fraud. Applicants can apply from March 6th to March 22nd this year.

Under the new process, selections will be based on unique beneficiaries rather than registrations as a whole. This move aims to reduce the risk of fraud and ensures that every beneficiary has an equal opportunity for selection. Now it is about the individual, not about how many times the employer registers them. Even if multiple employers register the same person, they only get one lottery entry.

Starting in 2025, USCIS will also require a valid passport or travel document information for each beneficiary registering for the H-1B lottery.

U.S. employers and workers are feeling the effects of these changes as the visa process has become more stringent and competitive. If a person is chosen, all their employees who registered for them can apply for an H-1B visa. However, this may cause issues for the employer as the person they picked may decide to work for another employer.

Adding to the challenges, visa petition fees are also increasing from April 1st this year. The H-1B fees go up by 70% from $460 to $780, L-1 petitions increase by 201% from $460 to $1385, and O-1 petitions see a 129% hike from $460 to $1055.