USCIS has officially scheduled the registration window for the Fiscal Year 2026-27 H-1B lottery. If you are planning to sponsor a worker, please take note of the following timeline and financial requirements.
Official USCIS FY 2026-27 H-1B Registration Timeline
- March 4 2026: Sponsors can begin to submit H-1B registrations at 12 p.m. Eastern Time.
- March 19 2026: The official deadline for registrations, at noon Eastern Time.
- March 20-27 2026: The H-1B Lottery selection process takes place.
- March 31 2026: The USCIS will send selection notifications by March 31, 2026
- April 1st 2026: This is the earliest date to file an H-1B cap-subject petition
- June 30 2025: Deadline to submit H-1B petitions under the regular lottery.
- October 1 2026: The beneficiaries of approved H-1B petitions can work as H-1B employees as of this date.
Action Items for Employers
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All employers must have an organization account prior to registering beneficiaries. Registrations must be submitted through a USCIS online account.
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A non-refundable fee of $215 is required for each entry.
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If a candidate is selected, the employer has a 90-day window to file the formal H-1B petition.
