USCIS Releases FY-2027 H-1B Cap Registration: Everything You Need to Know

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The annual race for the United States’ most sought-after work visa has officially begun. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has opened the registration window for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 H-1B cap. But this year’s process is far from routine. Major policy changes like the wage-weighted lottery system and new cost implications are going to play out in this fiscal year.

Here, our EB-1A visa consultancy has explained and detailed everything you need to know about the H-1B Cap registration.

Key dates for the FY-2027 H-1B registration

The initial electronic registration period for the FY-2027 H-1B cap opened on March 4, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time and will close on March 19, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. During this brief window, U.S. employers must submit online registrations for each prospective foreign worker they wish to sponsor.

Registrations must be submitted through a USCIS online account, and each entry requires payment of a $215 registration fee per beneficiary.

Once the registration window closes, USCIS will conduct the selection process and is expected to notify selected employers by March 31, 2026. If chosen, employers can then file the full H-1B petition starting April 1, 2026, which has a standard filing window of around 90 days.

Understanding the H-1B cap

The H-1B visa allows U.S. companies to employ foreign professionals in specialized occupations such as technology, engineering, healthcare, finance, and research.

However, the number of new visas issued each year is limited by law. The annual quota includes:

65,000 visas under the regular H-1B cap
20,000 additional visas reserved for applicants with U.S. master’s degrees or higher

This brings the total to 85,000 cap-subject H-1B visas each year, which, in turn, makes the program intensely competitive.

Because demand almost always exceeds supply, USCIS uses a selection process to determine which registrations can proceed to the petition stage.

The biggest change this year: A wage-weighted lottery system

Perhaps the most significant shift for FY-2027 is the introduction of a wage-weighted selection system, which has replaced the traditional purely random lottery.

Under this new model, a candidate’s offered wage level directly affects their chances of selection. Registrations tied to higher prevailing wages receive more entries into the lottery pool.

The weighting system works as follows:

Wage Level I (entry level): 1 lottery entry
Wage Level II: 2 entries
Wage Level III: 3 entries
Wage Level IV (highest wage tier): 4 entries

In other words, professionals who are offered higher salaries have a statistically stronger chance of being selected.

The Department of Homeland Security introduced this change to prioritize higher-skilled and higher-paid workers. According to D.H.S., this will align the H-1B program more closely with economic demand.

The $100,000 payment requirement

Another controversial development in this fiscal year is the $100,000 payment requirement tied to certain H-1B petitions.

First introduced through a presidential proclamation in September 2025, the fee generally applies to petitions that are approved for consular processing rather than a change of status inside the United States.

This means the fee may be triggered when:

The beneficiary is outside the United States when the petition is filed
The petition requests consular notification
USCIS determines that the worker cannot change status within the U.S.

However, many beneficiaries already in the United States, such as F-1 students transitioning to H-1B status, may not be subject to this payment requirement if they qualify for a change of status.

Cap-gap relief for International students

For international students under Optional Practical Training (OPT), the H-1B process also interacts with what is known as cap-gap protection.

If an employer files an H-1B petition requesting a change of status before the student’s OPT authorization expires, the student’s employment authorization and F-1 status may automatically extend until the H-1B start date.

This provision allows students to continue working without interruption while awaiting H-1B approval.

Why the FY-2027 season matters

The FY-2027 H-1B season represents one of the most consequential shifts in the visa program in decades. This year’s H-1B selection process signals a move toward a more merit-driven system that favors higher-value roles. To ensure H-1B success, the stakes for the applicants are also high this time as they need to land high-salaried opportunities.

Our EB-1A consultants are regularly staying updated on all the policy changes and immigration news. Stay tuned to our blog section to get regular updates. We wish you a safe and stress-free immigration journey ahead.