H-1B visa applications fell by almost 40% after new, tightened US rules

According to figures from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), there has been a 40 percent decline in the number of H-1B visa applications.

The decline is primarily due to a crackdown on attempts to “game the system” through multiple requests from individuals in an effort to unlawfully increase their chances of selection, VisaGuide.World reports.

The USCIS said through a statement that initial data indicates there have been far fewer attempts compared to last year to gain an unfair advantage, largely due to the implementation of the beneficiary-oriented selection process.

We review FY 2025 data for attempts to gain an unfair advantage through the beneficiary-directed process. We will deny or withdraw all petitions and refer for criminal prosecution as appropriate by law enforcement.

USCIS

According to the USCIS, the government received a total of 470,342 entries for the lottery held in late March, representing a 38 percent decrease from the previous year’s 758,994 entries.

The number of employees who registered remained stable: almost 442,000 were registered this year, compared to 446,000 last year.

The decrease in the number of applications indicates that the stricter rules previously introduced are producing results.

The new changes were implemented following evidence that businesses and individuals had submitted multiple applications to increase their chances of benefiting from this programme.

Based on evidence from the FY 2023 and FY 2024 H-1B cap seasons, we have already conducted thorough fraud investigations, denied and withdrawn petitions accordingly, and continue to make law enforcement referrals for criminal prosecution.

USCIS

New final rule to strengthen the H-1B program

The H-1B visa scheme allows US employers to hire highly qualified workers from other countries, provided they cannot find them in the US and can fill the labor shortage by having them work temporarily in the United States.

However, there were not a few reports about the risk of fraud during the H-1B registration process. To reduce the risk of fraud, the USCIS announced a new final rule in January this year that aims to prevent tampering during the registration process and also provide equal opportunity to anyone interested in this program.

In an effort to further strengthen the program, the agency also announced in January this year that it was giving a total of 20,000 non-immigrant workers the opportunity to renew their visas domestically.