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H-1B cap registration for FY27 opens March 4
USCIS says employers must register beneficiaries online by March 19 for cap selection
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Staff Reporter - Fri, 30, Jan 2026
- 16:27 EST
- 24
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). / IANS
The initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2027 H-1B cap will open March 4 and close on March 19, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced.
During the registration window, prospective H-1B cap-subject petitioners and their representatives must submit registrations electronically through a USCIS online account and pay a $215 registration fee for each beneficiary.
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Employers without an existing USCIS online account are required to create an organizational account before participating.
USCIS said representatives may add company clients to their accounts at any time, but beneficiary information can only be entered and submitted starting March 4.
Selection notifications are expected to be issued by March 31, through users’ USCIS online accounts to petitioners and representatives with selected registrations.
Only petitioners whose registrations are selected may file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those seeking the advanced degree exemption. USCIS said additional guidance on the electronic registration process will be updated on its H-1B Electronic Registration Process page ahead of the opening date.
The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring highly specialized knowledge, typically at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
The annual statutory cap is 85,000 visas, including 65,000 under the regular cap and 20,000 reserved for individuals holding a U.S. master’s degree or higher. Demand for the program has consistently exceeded available visas in recent years.
Weighted selection
For the FY 2027 cap season, USCIS will implement changes stemming from a final rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security amending how H-1B registrations are selected.
If registrations exceed the statutory cap, USCIS will conduct a weighted selection among unique beneficiaries with properly submitted registrations. If registrations do not exceed the cap, all properly submitted registrations will be selected.
The revised process prioritizes registrations tied to higher-wage positions, using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics wage levels as a proxy for skill and pay.
100K fee
USCIS also drew attention to a presidential proclamation issued on Sept. 19, 2025, by Donald Trump, titled Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers.
While the proclamation does not alter the electronic registration process, USCIS said petitioners with selected registrations may be required to pay an additional $100,000 fee as a condition of eligibility before filing an H-1B cap-subject petition, depending on applicability outlined in the proclamation.
USCIS said updated guidance and additional information on the electronic registration process will be made available on its H-1B Electronic Registration Process page prior to the March 4 start.
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