USCIS published a Final Rule related to the H-1B Cap lottery on January 31, 2019, that:

  • Creates an electronic pre-registration process for H-1B Cap Petitions. The process will create efficiency as Employers only need to prepare and file H-1B Petitions for employees selected in the H-1B lottery. This process has been suspended for the Financial year 2020, so there is no pre-registration for cases that need to be filed on April 1, 2019. File your cases on April 1, 2019, like in prior years.
  • Reverses the order in which the H-1B Petitions are selected in the lottery. H-1B CAP cases will be first selected for the regular Cap before, the lottery for the H-1B Masters Cap will be conducted. This would decrease the chances of being selected in the lottery for those who have only a Bachelor’s degree. This part of the rule is effective this year.