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The H-1B programme allows US employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in “specialty occupations.” (AI generated image)
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced Saturday that it is opening the initial regration period for the fiscal year 2027 for the H-1B visa cap from March 4 (noon Eastern) and that the window will remain open until March 19 (noon Eastern).
The official notification stated that during the period, the prospective H-1B cap subject petitioners and representatives must reger each beneficiary electronically via the USCIS online account and pay the $215 regration fee for each regration. The USCIS intends to send the selection notification March 31.
The H-1B programme allows US employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in “specialty occupations”. For FY 2027, the USCIS has notified that a petitioner can file an H-1B cap-subject petition if their respective regration for the beneficiary of the cap-subject petition has been selected in the H-1B regration process.
Timeline and regration process for H-1B cap
The USCIS has said all regrations for the H-1B cap must be submitted via the USCIS online account. The agency added that if an employer does not have the account, it must create an organisational account.
Company clients can be added to the accounts anytime the representatives but beneficiary information and the associated fee of $215 can be made once the regration period opens on March 4.Story continues below this ad
The agency said selections will take place after the initial regration period ends. The USCIS will send selection notifications March 31 through the online accounts to prospective petitioners who have at least one regration selected.
New H-1B rules for FY 2027
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the rules governing how the regrations are selected for unique beneficiaries have changed for FY 2027 cap season. “The new H-1B selection process prioritizes allocating visas to higher-skilled and higher-paid aliens to better protect the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities of American workers,” the USCIS stated.
The USCIS stated that if the regrations exceed the annual cap for FY 2027, the agency conducts a weighted selection from the unique beneficiaries with properly submitted regrations.
Trump’s $100,000 fee
Referring to US President Donald Trump’s September 2025 proclamation titled, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” the USCIS said the proclamation does not directly impact the electronic regration process. Story continues below this ad
However, employers with selected regrations who are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition may be required to pay an additional $100,000 fee before filing the H-1B petition.
