FY2026 H-1B Cap Registration Will Open March 7 At Noon

USCIS announced that the initial registration period for the FY2026 H-1B cap will open at noon ET on March 7, 2025 and run through noon ET on March 24, 2025. During this period, employers (or their legal representatives) may complete an online registration in which they provide initial eligibility information about the petitioning company and each employee they wish to sponsor. The H-1B cap registration filing fee will increase from $10 to $215 per beneficiary for the FY2026 H-1B cap.

Once the registration period is complete, USCIS will run the H-1B lottery using a beneficiary-centric selection system, meaning one that selects unique beneficiaries rather than individual employer registrations. USCIS intends to notify employers and representatives of selected beneficiaries by March 31. Only those cases selected through the electronic registration process will be eligible to file H-1B cap-subject petitions. 

Please note that the above is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. For specific questions about how the FY2026 H-1B Cap may apply to your circumstances, please contact your team at D&S.

FY2025 H-1B Cap Registration Deadline Extended to 12 pm ET on March 25

USCIS has announced that it will be extending the H-1B cap registration deadline to March 25, 2024, at noon ET, due to a recent system outage. The registration period was originally scheduled to run only through noon ET on Friday, March 22, but employers will now have until noon ET on Monday, March 25.

Until noon ET on March 25, 2024, prospective petitioners and their legal counsel can register beneficiaries for the H-1B cap selection process and pay the associated registration fee using their myUSCIS organizational account. USCIS still intends to notify selected registrants by March 31, 2024.

Please note that the above is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific questions about how the H-1B cap registration extension may apply to your circumstances, please contact your team at D&S.