H-1B FY2027 Cap: March 4–19 Registration Window Opens Under New Selection Rules
USCIS announced the FY2027 H-1B cap initial registration will run noon ET March 4 to noon ET March 19, 2026. Employers and their representatives must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically and pay a $215 fee per registration; organizations without an online account must create one, and both representatives and employers must wait until March 4 to enter beneficiary information and submit registrations. Selections will be communicated by March 31, 2026, and a cap-subject petition may be filed only if a beneficiary’s registration was selected. The FY2027 season introduces a weighted selection under a DHS rule to prioritize higher-skilled/higher-paid workers when registrations exceed the cap; if enough unique registrations are submitted, all properly submitted registrations may be selected. Additionally, a Sept. 19, 2025 Presidential Proclamation may require an extra $100,000 fee before filing an H-1B petition as a condition of eligibility.
