U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced the dates for this year's H-1B lottery. For employers seeking to hire initial H-1B applicants in 2024, the H-1B lottery will run from noon EST on March 6, 2024, to noon EST on March 22, 2024. 

The H-1B is a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa category that allows employers to petition for highly educated foreign professionals to work in “specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. Jobs in fields such as mathematics, engineering, technology, and medical sciences often qualify. Typically, the initial duration of an H-1B visa classification is three years, which may be extended for a maximum of six years. 

Since the category was created in 1990, Congress has limited the number of H-1Bs made available each year. The current annual statutory cap is 65,000 visas, with 20,000 additional visas for foreign professionals who graduate with a master’s degree or doctorate from a U.S. institution of higher learning. 

However, employers may only petition for an H-1B worker's initial employment if they are first selected in the lottery or are otherwise exempt from the lottery.