How does the H-1B beneficiary-centric selection process work?
TL;DR: Since the FY2025 lottery, USCIS selects H-1B registrations by unique beneficiary (person), not by number of registrations submitted. Each individual is entered once regardless of how many employers registered them, which was designed to reduce the advantage multiple-employer registrations previously gave some candidates.
The claim
The rule change directly targeted the practice of filing many registrations for one person through related or cooperating employers to multiply lottery odds.
The evidence
Before beneficiary-centric selection, USCIS selected at the registration level, so a beneficiary with multiple registrations effectively got multiple lottery tickets. DHS moved to deduplicate by passport/beneficiary identity so each unique person is entered once in the initial selection, regardless of how many employers submitted a registration for them.
Old process vs beneficiary-centric process
| Feature | Registration-centric (pre-FY2025) | Beneficiary-centric (FY2025 onward) |
|---|---|---|
| Selection unit | Each registration | Each unique beneficiary |
| Effect of multiple employer registrations | Increased odds of selection | No increase — deduplicated to one entry |
| Fraud/gaming concern | Multiple related-employer filings for one person | Reduced by design |
| What happens if selected with multiple registrations | Employer with earliest/any valid registration could be used | Only one registration tied to the selected beneficiary can proceed; petitioner chooses among valid ones tied to that selection |
Step-by-step: what this means for you
- If multiple employers want to sponsor you, they can each register you — but you're only entered once in the selection pool.
- If selected, only one associated registration can move forward to the I-129 filing stage.
- Coordinate with prospective employers ahead of registration to avoid wasted registration fees.
- Confirm selection status through the myUSCIS registrant portal, not just through an employer's HR team.
- If not selected, you (or another employer) can register again in the next annual cycle.
FAQ
Does registering with more employers increase my chances now? No — beneficiary-centric selection deduplicates by identity, so having multiple registrations no longer multiplies your odds.
Can I still work with multiple employers if I'm selected? Only the registration tied to your one selection can be used to file an actual H-1B petition for that selection.
Does this rule apply to cap-exempt H-1B employers too? No, beneficiary-centric selection applies to the cap-subject lottery; cap-exempt employers file outside the lottery entirely.
How does USCIS identify a unique beneficiary? Primarily through passport information and biographic data submitted at registration.
By Pinal Dave Last updated: 2026-07-26