The latest available USCIS data show that 97.0% of H-1B petitions decided during the first three quarters of FY 2026 were approved. From Oct. 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, USCIS approved 270,419 of 278,650 decided petitions. This is a cumulative fiscal-year-to-date figure, not a June-only approval rate. USCIS released the quarterly report on September 8.
Those figures describe petition decisions after a case reaches USCIS. They do not measure the chance of being selected in the Cap-subject and cap-exempt (H-1B)The H-1B category has an annual limit of 65,000 new visas or statuses per fiscal year, plus 20,000 more for people with a U.S. master's degree or higher. Petitions counted toward that limit are cap-subject. Petitions from higher education institutions, their related or affiliated nonprofits, and nonprofit or governmental research organizations are cap-exempt.See it in the glossary cap lottery. The figures also cover a mix of initial and continuing petitions, so they should not be treated as a prediction for any one applicant or employer.
Latest H-1B approval rate and the recent trend
The newest period is fiscal year 2026 through June 30 (the first three quarters). Earlier rows show completed fiscal years. Rates are approvals divided by approvals plus denials, rounded to one decimal place.
| Reporting period | Decisions | Approved | Denied | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 Q1–Q3 Oct. 1, 2025–June 30, 2026 |
278,650 | 270,419 | 8,231 | 97.0% |
| FY 2025 | 415,275 | 406,349 | 8,926 | 97.9% |
| FY 2024 | 407,641 | 399,410 | 8,231 | 98.0% |
| FY 2023 | 397,252 | 386,353 | 10,899 | 97.3% |
| FY 2022 | 451,507 | 442,435 | 9,072 | 98.0% |
| FY 2021 | 418,286 | 407,058 | 11,228 | 97.3% |
| FY 2020 | 466,638 | 426,728 | 39,910 | 91.4% |
The FY 2026 figures are year-to-date through June 30, not a full fiscal year. The 97.0% rate is calculated from 270,419 approvals and 8,231 denials. Counts come from the USCIS Q3 nonimmigrant worker report, published September 8, 2026. Historical annual figures come from the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub. FY means federal fiscal year.
How does the latest rate compare?
Through June 30, the FY 2026 approval rate was 97.0%, below the full-year rates of 97.9% in FY 2025 and 98.0% in FY 2024. FY 2026 is not complete, so the rate may change when USCIS reports the fourth quarter.
Across FY 2021 through FY 2025, full-year rates ranged from 97.3% to 98.0%. FY 2020 was lower, at 91.4%. These completed-year results provide context, but they cover a different period from the FY 2026 figure, which runs from October 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
Approval rates are not lottery odds
The cap process has separate steps. First, USCIS selects eligible registrations when demand exceeds the annual limit. An employer may then file a petition for a selected registration. The approval rate above measures decisions on petitions already filed; it does not include people whose registrations were not selected and never reached the petition stage.
Petition approval also does not always mean that a visa has been issued. Some beneficiaries already in the United States seek a change or extension of status; beneficiaries abroad may need to apply for a visa at a U.S. consulate after petition approval.
What the overall number can and cannot tell you
A roughly 97% overall rate is a useful snapshot of recent H-1B petition adjudications. It is not a guarantee. USCIS reviews the facts and evidence in each filing, including whether the position qualifies as a specialty occupation, whether the BeneficiaryThe person on whose behalf a petition is filed, such as the relative or worker who would receive the immigration benefit.See it in the glossary meets its requirements, and whether the petition supports the requested employment and worksite arrangements.
The USCIS reports also combine different types of petitions, including initial and continuing employment. Results for a particular petition type or employer may differ from the overall rate. A Request for Evidence (RFE)A USCIS notice asking for additional documents or information before a decision can be made on an application or petition.See it in the glossary is not a denial, but the response must address the questions USCIS raises by the stated deadline.
In short, 97.0% is the approval rate for H-1B petitions decided from October 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. It is a nine-month cumulative rate, not a June-only rate. Approval rates describe petition decisions after filing; they are separate from H-1B lottery selection odds.