Follow the Selection Notice: a U.S. Master’s Degree Holder May Nevertheless be selected under the Regular H-1B Cap

H-1B employers sometimes would ask why they are filing the H-1B under the regular cap when the beneficiary who won the H-1B loettery holds a U.S. master’s degree. The simple answer: the selection notice says so.

Note that during H-1B registration, the registration is simply requesting consideration for Master’s Cap registration when a beneficiary holds a qualified U.S. master’s degree. Whether the beneficiary is selected as Master’s Cap or Bachelor’s Cap is based on the lottery results, as indicated on the selection notice. 

Please look at the selection notice closely (it is somewhat hidden in the text) to find out if a beneficiary with a U.S. master’s degree was selected under the regular or master’s cap. This will help ensure H-1B forms are properly filled out.

Sample selection notice showing that a Beneficiary with master’s degree was selected under the regular cap.
Sample selection notice showing that a Beneficiary with master’s degree was selected under the master’s cap.
Select the correct checkbox on H-1B form