U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed the dates for the H-1B 2026 cap-subject electronic registration process.
The announcement triggers the formal start of the annual H-1B cap season for FY 2027, and sets a fixed and non-extendable window for employers to submit registrations.
The registration stage is brief, but it determines which employers are permitted to file full H-1B petitions later in the year. Registrations submitted outside the window are not accepted under any circumstances.
Confirmed registration window
The initial H-1B cap-subject registration window will operate as follows:
- Registration opens at 12:00 pm Eastern Time on March 4, 2026
- Registration closes at 12:00 pm Eastern Time on March 19, 2026
Registrations must be submitted electronically through a USCIS online account. A registration fee of $215 applies for each individual beneficiary. Only registrations submitted during this period are eligible for selection.
USCIS has indicated that it intends to notify employers and representatives of selection results through online accounts by March 31, 2026.
What this means for U.S. employers
The registration process is not a placeholder exercise. Employers should already be finalising which roles will be sponsored, confirming that the positions meet specialty occupation requirements and ensuring internal approvals are in place.
The FY 2027 cycle will operate under a new weighted selection model rather than a purely random lottery. While the registration stage itself remains short and information-light, employers should assume that wage level alignment, role structure and compliance history will be scrutinised later at petition stage and during any subsequent audits.
Duplicate registrations, speculative filings and inaccuracies at registration level create avoidable risk and should be treated as compliance issues rather than administrative errors.
What this means for workers
Selection in the registration process does not grant H-1B status. It simply allows the employer to file a full H-1B petition on the worker’s behalf.
Workers should be aware that eligibility will be reassessed in full during petition adjudication, including the specialty occupation analysis, qualification evidence and maintenance of status. Selection also does not accelerate start dates. In most cases, approved cap-subject H-1B employment cannot begin before October 1, 2026.
Where registration is unsuccessful, alternative visa routes or cap-exempt options may need to be considered at an early stage.
What happens after selection
If a registration is selected, USCIS will open a cap-subject filing window, typically beginning on or shortly after April 1 and remaining open for a minimum of 90 days.
During this period, the employer is required to submit the full H-1B petition, including the certified Labor Condition Application, supporting role evidence and documentation confirming the worker’s qualifications. Only petitions linked to selected registrations are accepted.
USCIS may conduct additional selection rounds later in the year if the cap is not reached, but there is no assurance that further rounds will occur.
Practical implications and next steps
The H-1B registration window is short, unforgiving and strategically significant. Employers should be treating March as the execution phase, not the planning phase. Workers should be receiving clear advice on expectations, timelines and fallback options well in advance of registration opening.
Once the window closes, no corrective action is possible. Preparation now determines flexibility later.
