FY2027 H-1B Lottery Kick Off

Here we are, ready to kick off the fiscal year 2027 (“FY2027”) H-1B cap. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced the initial registration period for the FY2027 H-1B cap will begin at 12 Noon Eastern on March 4, 2026, and run through 12 Noon Eastern on March 19, 2026. During this registration period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to submit their H-1B registrations using online accounts and pay the required fee of $215 for each registration submitted on behalf of individual beneficiaries. The Service is maintaining its beneficiary-centric selection process launched for FY2025.

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H-1B Cap Selection Shifts to a Wage-Weighted System Beginning in FY 2027

The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has announced a significant change to how H-1B cap registrations will be selected. A final rule published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2025 revises the long-standing random lottery system used for H-1B cap selection, replacing it with wage-based selection. The rule will take effect on February 27, 2026, and will apply to the Fiscal Year 2027 (“FY2027”) H-1B cap registration season. The lottery selections for FY2027 are made on April 1, 2026.

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