The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the FY 2027 H-1B cap will open at 12:00 p.m. Eastern on March 4, 2026, and close at 12:00 p.m. Eastern on March 19, 2026.
During this window, prospective H-1B cap-subject employers and their legal representatives must submit electronic registrations for each beneficiary via a USCIS online account and pay the $215 registration fee per beneficiary.
How the FY 2027 H-1B Registration Process Works
Electronic registration only: Employers must use a USCIS online account to register beneficiaries.
Account setup:
Employers without an account must create an organizational account.
Legal representatives may add employer clients at any time but cannot submit beneficiary details or fees until March 4.
Selection timeline: USCIS expects to issue selection notifications by March 31, 2026, through users’ USCIS online accounts.
Petition filing: Only employers with selected registrations may file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption.
USCIS said further guidance on the electronic registration process will be published ahead of the opening date.
What’s New for the FY 2027 H-1B Cap Season
For FY 2027, USCIS will implement a revised selection methodology under a final rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Key changes include:
Weighted selection system:
If registrations exceed the annual cap, USCIS will conduct a weighted selection among unique beneficiaries.
Skill and wage prioritisation:
The new system aims to allocate H-1B visas preferentially to higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign workers, with the stated goal of protecting U.S. wages, working conditions, and job opportunities.
Automatic selection if undersubscribed:
If registrations do not exceed the cap, USCIS will select all properly submitted registrations.
Potential $100,000 Fee Under Presidential Proclamation
USCIS also highlighted implications of a proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, by Donald Trump, titled Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers.
The proclamation does not change the registration process.
However, if a registration is selected and the petitioner is eligible to file, the employer may be required to pay an additional $100,000 fee as a condition of eligibility before filing the H-1B petition.
USCIS advises petitioners to review the proclamation details on its H-1B Specialty Occupations page.
Why This Matters
The FY 2027 H-1B cap season marks one of the most significant shifts in the programme in years, moving away from a purely random lottery toward a policy-driven allocation that favours higher compensation and skill levels. For employers, early preparation—particularly around wage structuring, compliance, and account readiness—will be critical.