In the current trend of global educational integration, studying abroad is widely regarded as an important boost in a child's growth journey, and many families hope their children can take this opportunity to broaden their horizons. The United States, as one of the most popular immigration countries in the world, has been seen as the preferred destination for Chinese families planning their children's education. However, what is often overlooked is that behind the glamour of studying in the U.S., those international students without legal status often face little-known life challenges.
Recently, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officially announced the completion of the H-1B lottery for the fiscal year 2025. According to the information released by USCIS, the total number of H-1B registrations this year is 479,953, of which 470,342 are valid registrations, with a total of 120,603 selected, resulting in a selection rate of approximately 25.13%.
The number of beneficiaries for the fiscal year 2025 (approximately 442,000 people) is comparable to last year's number for fiscal year 2024 (approximately 446,000 people). The number of employers for this year (approximately 52,700) is also comparable to last year's number for fiscal year 2024 (approximately 52,000). However, compared to fiscal year 2024 (758,994 people), the number of qualified registrations for fiscal year 2025 (470,342 people) has significantly decreased—by 38.6%.
Overall, we see that the average number of registrations per beneficiary for fiscal year 2025 is 1.06, while for fiscal year 2024 it was 1.70.
*The number of qualified registrations does not include duplicate registrations, registrations deleted by the prospective employer before the end of the registration period, and registrations with payment failures.
In 2023, there were two rounds of H-1B lotteries, with a total of 188,400 selections and an overall selection rate of approximately 24.8%. Whether there will be a second round of lottery this year is still uncertain; if there is no second round, then the overall selection rate this year compared to 2023 is not as significant as imagined. Overall, the H-1B still faces the dilemma of many applicants competing for limited spots.
Even if selected, the H-1B work visa is only a temporary status, with many uncontrollable factors. It is well known that for international students holding F-1 visas, staying in the U.S. after graduation must go through the "OPT phase — H-1B phase — EB2/EB3 green card transition phase" which are three significant hurdles. It is worth noting that the H-1B ties the applicant to the employer; if the H-1B work visa is terminated, the individual must find a new job within 60 days or leave the United States.
Therefore, if you plan to develop long-term in the United States, early planning is essential! If you want to stay in the U.S. for work and life, you still need a green card, as green card status is more stable and easier than H-1B work visas! For friends struggling in the H-1B quagmire and families planning to study in the U.S., it is crucial to seize the current opportunity of the EB-5 new policy to apply for a green card in advance and prepare ahead, so as not to be hindered by status issues while pursuing grand ambitions.
The EB-5 program under the new policy is currently in a policy window period. According to the Concurrent Filing clause in the new EB-5 law, EB-5 applicants within the United States, including international students, can submit their I-526E investment immigration application simultaneously with their I-485 status adjustment application, provided that the EB-5 project category applied for has no backlog. Therefore, applicants can legally stay in the U.S. while waiting for their green card approval results, studying and working without employer sponsorship, and enjoying the benefits of a quasi-green card in advance.
WorldWay Immigration has helped numerous clients quickly obtain their "little green cards" through dual submission, effectively resolving their legal status issues for staying in the U.S. No longer worrying about whether they will be selected in the H-1B lottery, whether they will be laid off after starting work, or how to handle job changes, etc.
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