On May 3, 2017, USCIS announced that agency has completed data entry of case information of the H-1B cap cases for 2018.
A computerized random selection process (visa lottery) was used to pick cases for processing based on the annual visa cap. The agency will return the H-1B petitions that were not selected in the visa lottery gradually. USCIS requested that petitioners do not make inquiries about the status of submitted cap-subject petitions until they receive a receipt notice or an unselected petition is returned. USCIS will issue another announcement to confirm when all the unselected petitions have been returned.