U.S. companies that rely on highly-skilled foreign talent have just one month to prepare for the most consequential H-1B cap season in a decade. In a notice released late on 3 February, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that the FY 2027 electronic registration window will run from noon ET on 3 March through noon ET on 19 March. Each registration will carry a non-refundable $215 government fee—more than triple the $10 charge in place since 2020 and a harbinger of steeper downstream filing costs.
For employers, the bigger shift is the formal launch of a weighted, wage-level lottery. Under a final rule published 29 December 2025, Level I wage offers receive one chance in the lottery, while Level IV offers receive four. The goal, according to DHS, is to tilt selection toward “higher-skilled, higher-paid” workers and deter mass filing of multiple low-wage registrations. Critics warn the change could squeeze start-ups and nonprofits that cannot match tech-sector salaries, while immigration advocates predict litigation over whether wage level is a lawful proxy for merit.
![USCIS Opens FY 2027 H-1B Registration March 4; Weighted Lottery and $215 Fee Unveiled]()
USCIS reiterated that selection notices will issue by 31 March; only selected beneficiaries may file full H-1B petitions between 1 April and 30 June for employment starting 1 October 2026. Cap-gap rules allowing F-1 OPT holders to keep working until 1 April 2027 remain in force.
Separately, the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor on 30 January issued a temporary rule releasing 64,716 additional H-2B visas for FY 2026. The supplemental visas, divided into three tranches, target employers facing “irreparable harm” and are restricted largely to returning workers. Industries such as hospitality, landscaping, seafood processing and construction are expected to benefit.
Practical implications for mobility managers are clear. HR teams must validate prevailing-wage levels now, budget for higher registration and possible $100,000 integrity fees floated in draft guidance, and audit third-party arrangements to ensure compliance with the new “one beneficiary, one registration” rule. With a weighted lottery, crafting competitive wage offers—and documenting them—becomes as important as filing on time.
For employers, the bigger shift is the formal launch of a weighted, wage-level lottery. Under a final rule published 29 December 2025, Level I wage offers receive one chance in the lottery, while Level IV offers receive four. The goal, according to DHS, is to tilt selection toward “higher-skilled, higher-paid” workers and deter mass filing of multiple low-wage registrations. Critics warn the change could squeeze start-ups and nonprofits that cannot match tech-sector salaries, while immigration advocates predict litigation over whether wage level is a lawful proxy for merit.
USCIS reiterated that selection notices will issue by 31 March; only selected beneficiaries may file full H-1B petitions between 1 April and 30 June for employment starting 1 October 2026. Cap-gap rules allowing F-1 OPT holders to keep working until 1 April 2027 remain in force.
Separately, the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor on 30 January issued a temporary rule releasing 64,716 additional H-2B visas for FY 2026. The supplemental visas, divided into three tranches, target employers facing “irreparable harm” and are restricted largely to returning workers. Industries such as hospitality, landscaping, seafood processing and construction are expected to benefit.
Practical implications for mobility managers are clear. HR teams must validate prevailing-wage levels now, budget for higher registration and possible $100,000 integrity fees floated in draft guidance, and audit third-party arrangements to ensure compliance with the new “one beneficiary, one registration” rule. With a weighted lottery, crafting competitive wage offers—and documenting them—becomes as important as filing on time.
Source: The Indian Express
