KEY DATES:
March 4 to March 19, 2026: Registrations for individual beneficiaries (employees) may be submitted
March 20 to March 31, 2026: USCIS will conduct lottery and notify account holders of selections
April 1 to June 30, 2026: Filing period for selected H‑1B cap petitions
FY 2027 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the FY 2027 H-1B cap will open at 9 am Pacific on March 4, 2026, and run through 9 am Pacific on March 19, 2026. During this period, prospective petitioners and their representatives, if applicable, must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated $215 registration fee for each beneficiary.
USCIS will continue to utilize a beneficiary-centric system to ensure all beneficiaries have the same chance of selection. For the FY2027 registration period, USCIS will implement a new, wage‑weighted selection process if registrations exceed the cap, prioritizing higher‑paid beneficiaries. See USCIS to Implement a Weighted Selection System for H-1B Cap Petitions – Larrabee Albi Coker | Immigration Law for Innovators
Selection notifications are expected by March 31, 2026, via USCIS online accounts.
Additional Information: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/fy-2027-h-1b-cap-initial-registration-period-opens-on-march-4
This update was prepared by Brianda Renteria-Huber, Associate Attorney – Larrabee Albi Coker LLP.
Legal Disclaimer: This post is provided for informational purposes only and does not substitute for legal advice based on the circumstances of a specific matter. Immigration laws and policies change frequently, often without notice. It is therefore important to seek direct legal counsel based upon individual circumstances.