U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the FY 2027 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 4 and run through noon Eastern on March 19, 2026. During this period, employers and their representatives must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically and pay the $215 registration fee per applicant. Employers without an account must create an organizational account, and representatives may add clients at any time. Registrations and fees, however, cannot be submitted before March 4. Selected registrants will be notified by March 31, 2026, through their USCIS online accounts.

New regulations for FY 2027 prioritize higher-skilled and higher-paid applicants to better protect wages, working conditions, and job opportunities for U.S. workers. If registrations for unique beneficiaries exceed the annual cap, USCIS will conduct a weighted selection. If there are fewer registrations than available visas, all properly submitted registrations will be selected. Only beneficiaries with selected registrations may file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption.

Additionally, a Presidential Proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, may require certain petitioners to pay an additional $100,000 fee before filing an H-1B petition. While the proclamation does not directly affect the electronic registration process, petitioners should review the H-1B Specialty Occupations page for details. USCIS provides step-by-step guidance on the H-1B Electronic Registration Process page, which will be updated ahead of the registration period.

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FY 2027 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens on March 4 | USCIS

Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers – The White House

https://www.federalregister.gov