Company A files at Level 3, Company B files at Level 1 — your lottery weighting defaults to Level 1 for ALL entries
One of the most counterintuitive aspects of the new wage-weighted H-1B lottery is the "lowest wage level" rule for beneficiaries with multiple employer registrations. Under the beneficiary-centric system introduced in FY2025, USCIS identifies unique beneficiaries and counts them once. But when the wage-weighted system was added for FY2027, a critical question emerged: if the same person has registrations from multiple employers at different wage levels, which level determines their lottery weighting? The answer: the LOWEST.
Quick Answer: Under FY2027 rules, if multiple employers register the same beneficiary at different wage levels, USCIS assigns the LOWEST wage level across all registrations for lottery weighting purposes. If Company A registers you at Level 3 and Company B at Level 1, you get Level 1 odds (~15%) — not Level 3 (~37%). This makes strategic coordination between employers critical.
| Company | H-1B Filings | Multiple Registration Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 55,150 | Rarely files alongside other employers |
| Microsoft | 34,626 | Low multi-registration rate |
| 33,416 | Low multi-registration rate | |
| Infosys | 32,840 | High — often concurrent with other employers |
| Tata Consultancy Services | 28,950 | High — candidates explore multiple offers |
| Cognizant | 26,700 | High — staffing model drives multi-reg |
| Deloitte | 18,200 | Medium — some dual registrations |
| JPMorgan Chase | 12,400 | Low — exclusive offers typical |
The beneficiary-centric system identifies unique individuals using passport number, date of birth, country of birth, and name. When the wage-weighted lottery was added for FY2027, USCIS needed a rule for beneficiaries with multiple registrations at different wage levels. The chosen approach: use the LOWEST wage level across all registrations for that beneficiary's lottery weighting.
The policy rationale is preventing abuse — without the lowest-level rule, employers could game the system by filing at artificially inflated levels at one employer while the "real" registration at another employer was at a lower level. But the practical impact is harsh: a second registration from a lower-paying employer can HURT your overall lottery odds rather than helping.
This creates a critical strategic implication: workers with offers from multiple employers must carefully coordinate which employers register them. If you have a Level 3 offer from a tech company and a Level 1 offer from a consulting firm, having both register you results in Level 1 odds for ALL entries. The optimal strategy is to only allow the highest-level employer to register you — you can still accept the other offer after lottery selection.
Search Wisa for H-1B sponsors and compare wage levels across employers to optimize your lottery odds.
Search Multiple Employer Data →Search thousands of verified H-1B sponsors by company, industry, and location.
Search H-1B Sponsors on Wisa →Yes — and this is becoming common advice. If you know Employer A will file at Level 3+ and Employer B would file at Level 1-2, it is strategically better to only have Employer A register you. You can still accept an offer from Employer B after selection. Communicate early with both employers about this strategy.
USCIS matches beneficiaries using passport number, date of birth, country of birth, and name. The beneficiary-centric system was specifically designed to identify unique individuals regardless of how many employers register them. Slight name variations or passport renewals do not prevent matching.
Yes. If Employer A in San Francisco files at Level 4 and Employer B in a smaller city files at Level 1 (because the same salary qualifies as Level 1 in a lower-cost area), your lottery weighting is Level 1. The geographic wage differential makes this rule particularly punitive for workers considering offers in both high and low-cost areas.
Immigration attorneys have criticized this rule as discouraging legitimate multiple registrations. USCIS has not indicated plans to change it for FY2028. The policy rationale is preventing abuse — without the lowest-level rule, employers could game the system by filing at artificially inflated levels.