The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. The H-1B visa is subject to an annual cap, and employers must submit a petition to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in order to sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa. If more petitions are received than the number of visas available, USCIS conducts a lottery to select the petitions that will be approved.
Due to the high demand for H-1B visas, many employers use the second lottery to increase their chances of obtaining an H-1B visa for a foreign worker. The second lottery is conducted in March of each year, and it is open to employers who have filed a petition for an H-1B visa but were not selected in the initial lottery. The second lottery is also subject to a cap, and employers must submit a petition to USCIS in order to participate in the lottery.