Alert: H-1B Cap Registration for FY2026 Begins Soon

The window for H-1B cap registration (AKA H-1B lottery) will begin Friday, March 7^th at 9:00 AM (Pacific Standard Time), and close on Monday, March 24^th at 9:00 AM (Pacific Standard Time). All registrations accepted within that window of time will have an equal opportunity of being selected. USCIS will again be utilizing the beneficiary-centric system it introduced last year, which ensures that all beneficiaries have the same chance of being selected, and having more than one company register the same candidate will no longer increase that candidate’s chance of being selected.

After registration closes on March 24^th, USCIS will conduct the selection process and notify all sponsoring employers of selected beneficiaries by March 31st.  H-1B filings for selected beneficiaries must be submitted between April 1^st and June 30^th. Additionally, if USCIS receives less qualified filings than needed to reach the 85,000 cap-subject H-1Bs it is allowed to approve each year, an additional round of registration selection will occur, likely during the summer.

Finally, this is the first year the new USCIS filing fee for e-registration will take effect, which is now $215 per registration.

If you have further questions, please contact your Immigration Law Group attorney, or call our office at (408) 432-9200.