What are your H-1B lottery odds?
The FY2027 H-1B lottery is no longer a flat coin flip — it weights selection by wage level. Estimate your chance by wage level and degree. Free.
Estimate my odds ↓Modeled estimate · Informational, not legal advice
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H-1B selection odds (FY2027 wage-weighted lottery)
The FY2027 lottery gives higher wage levels more entries (Level IV is weighted highest). This is a modeled estimate, not a guarantee.
How the wage-weighted lottery works
- Your wage level sets your entries. Each registration gets entries based on how your offered salary compares to the local prevailing wage: Level IV = 4 entries, Level III = 3, Level II = 2, Level I = 1. More entries means a higher chance.
- An advanced U.S. degree adds a second draw. If you hold a U.S. master's degree or higher, you're entered in both the regular cap and the 20,000-spot advanced-degree cap, improving your odds.
- We model your chance. Selection percentages by wage level are estimates based on the published rule and recent pool sizes; USCIS does not publish exact odds in advance.
Key terms, in plain English
Wage Level (I–IV)
How your offered salary compares to the U.S. prevailing wage for your specific job and work location (set by the Department of Labor) — not your country. Level I ≈ entry (~17th percentile), II ≈ qualified (~34th), III ≈ experienced (~50th), IV ≈ fully competent (~67th and up).
The H-1B cap
The annual limit on new cap-subject H-1Bs: 65,000 regular plus 20,000 reserved for U.S. advanced-degree holders.
Master's cap (second draw)
A U.S. master's degree or higher gets you a second chance in the advanced-degree lottery, on top of the regular draw.
Registration
The short March window when your employer registers you for the lottery (FY2027 ran March 4–19, 2026).
Prevailing wage
The typical pay for your job and location, set by Department of Labor data. Your wage level is measured against it.
Cap-exempt
Universities and nonprofit research employers can sponsor H-1Bs any time, outside the lottery entirely.
Not selected? Read your options after the H-1B lottery.
Talk to an immigration attorney about H-1B options
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