The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has said that it has met the annual quota of 85,000 H-1B cap beneficiaries for FY-2027. It has also completed the regular and advanced-degree selection lotteries.
The agency also said that it had notified all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they can file an H-1B cap-subject petition for those beneficiaries.
“H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2027, including those petitions eligible for the advanced degree exemption, may be filed with USCIS beginning April 1, 2026, if filed for a selected beneficiary and based on a valid registration,” a USCIS statement said on Tuesday, March 31.
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The USCIS said that the period for filing the H-1B cap-subject petition will be at least 90 days. It also let petitioners know that they have to include a copy of the applicable selection notice with the FY 2027 H-1B cap-subject petition.
The USCIS also said that it would accept the new edition of the I-129 form that was published on February 27, 2026.
Changes in the H-1B selection process
{{/usCountry}}The USCIS also said that it would accept the new edition of the I-129 form that was published on February 27, 2026.
Changes in the H-1B selection process
{{/usCountry}}The H-1B selection process is now being changed to a wage-based model. As part of this model, applicants with higher salaries and skills get priority. The change aims to align visa allocation with labor market needs, and reduce misuse of the system.
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Among the changes is a significant fee component introduced earlier, where a $100,000 charge applies in a few cases when employers sponsor workers from outside the US. The measure aims to encourage domestic recruitment instead of reducing reliance on overseas hiring.
At present, Congress has set the annual regular cap for the H-1B category at 65,000. Another 20,000 petitions filed on behalf of beneficiaries who have earned a master’s degree or higher from a United States institution of higher education are exempt from the cap.
According to the USCIS, an H-1B cap petition filed on behalf of a beneficiary has to contain and be supported by the same identifying information and position information as the selected registration. The USCIS also said that petitioners have to submit evidence of the beneficiary's valid passport or travel document used at the time of registration.