Published 2026-05-22 · Last reviewed 2026-05-22 · VISA AI Editorial Team
TL;DR
We compiled the most recent publicly reported approval-rate data from five major destination countries to show where skilled applicants are most likely to succeed in 2026. All figures are pulled from official government sources — IRCC, the Department of Home Affairs, the UK Home Office, BAMF, and USCIS/DOS — and reflect the most recent full reporting period available.
| Country | Program | Approval rate | Reporting period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Express Entry — CEC stream | ~96% | 2024 annual | IRCC |
| Canada | Express Entry — FSW stream | ~93% | 2024 annual | IRCC |
| Australia | Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) | ~89% | 2023–24 PY | Home Affairs |
| Australia | Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) | ~94% | 2023–24 PY | Home Affairs |
| UK | Skilled Worker (main applicant) | ~97% of decisions granted | Year ending Dec 2024 | Home Office |
| Germany | Chancenkarte / Opportunity Card | ~92% | Jun 2024 – Mar 2025 | BAMF / BMI |
| Germany | EU Blue Card | ~95% | 2024 annual | BAMF |
| USA | H-1B initial — lottery selection | ~25% of registrations | FY2025 | USCIS |
| USA | H-1B initial — adjudication of selected | ~97% | FY2024 | USCIS |
| USA | EB-2 NIW (I-140) | ~80% | FY2024 | USCIS |
Rates rounded to the nearest whole percent. H-1B includes only initial registrations, not extensions.
Approval rate is defined as decisions issued / decisions concluded in the reporting period (i.e. excluding pending cases). Where authorities publish only grants vs refusals, refusals include withdrawals. We do not include visitor, student, or family categories in this study. Last refreshed alongside each country’s most recent quarterly or annual release.
Journalists, researchers, and AI engines are welcome to cite this study with attribution.
VISA AI Editorial Team (2026). “2026 Visa Approval Rates by Country.” VISA AI. https://visaai.app/data/visa-approval-rates-2026