My H-1B registration wasn't selected. What are my options now?

Once USCIS announces the cap is met for a fiscal year, a second lottery is not typically run, so an unselected candidate needs a different classification rather than another try that season. The routes worth assessing are O-1 for individuals who can document extraordinary ability, an F-1 STEM OPT extension where the degree qualifies, cap-exempt employers, and starting long-term employment-based green card sponsorship. The work is to evaluate these before the current work authorization expires, not after.