Everything you need to know about the FY2027 H1B lottery, the $215 fee, wage-based selection tiers, unique passport requirement, and step-by-step registration walkthrough.
The H1B lottery 2027 (officially the FY2027 H-1B cap-subject registration) is the annual process by which U.S. employers register their prospective H1B workers with USCIS for a chance to receive one of the 85,000 available H1B visas. The regular cap is 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 reserved for beneficiaries holding a U.S. master's degree or higher. Because demand far exceeds supply, a computer-generated lottery determines who gets to file a petition.
FY2027 registration ran from March 4 to March 19, 2026, for jobs starting on or after October 1, 2026. Three rules shaped it: the $215 per-beneficiary registration fee (up from $10), beneficiary-centric selection with a required passport number, and, for the first time, wage-weighted selection that gives higher wage levels more entries in the random draw. USCIS says both the regular cap and the master's cap for FY2027 have been reached.
Looking for the lottery held in March 2027? That registration is for FY2028 (jobs starting October 1, 2027). See the H1B 2028 lottery guide.
According to USCIS's official H-1B electronic registration page, the agency processed 343,981 eligible registrations for FY2026 and selected 120,141 (34.9%), up from 24.8% in FY2024, when 780,884 registrations were submitted. USCIS credits beneficiary-centric selection, used since FY2025, with far fewer attempts to gain an unfair advantage through multiple registrations.
$215 Registration Fee
The non-refundable registration fee per beneficiary rose from $10 to $215 starting with FY2026 registration. The employer pays it when registering, before selection, and it is not returned if the beneficiary is not selected. For employers registering many workers, this raises the upfront cost.
Unique Beneficiary Selection
Since FY2025, USCIS selects by unique beneficiary, identified by passport or travel document. A person counts once however many employers register them, and one employer may register a person only once. USCIS links the change to far fewer duplicate registrations: 408,891 eligible registrations were for people with more than one registration in FY2024, against 7,828 in FY2026.
Wage-Based Selection
Selection is still random, but each registration is entered one to four times by the OEWS wage level of the offered wage: four at Level IV, three at Level III, two at Level II and one at Level I. Registrations at lower wage levels, common at consulting and staffing firms, have lower projected odds.
Fewer eligible registrations since beneficiary-centric selection began in FY2025 have raised the overall selection rate. The table uses USCIS registration data; USCIS has not published FY2027 counts.
| Fiscal Year | Registrations | Selected | Selection Rate | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 758,994 | 188,400 | 24.8% | Record high; 408,891 for people with more than one registration |
| FY2025 | 470,342 | 135,137 | 28.7% | First beneficiary-centric selection |
| FY2026 | 343,981 | 120,141 | 34.9% | First year of the $215 fee |
| FY2027 | Not published | Not published | Not published | First wage-weighted selection; DHS projected 15% to 61% by level |
USCIS announces the registration dates each year; the period lasts at least 14 calendar days. Selection happens only after the period closes, so USCIS says there is no need to register on the first day. These were the FY2027 dates.
H1B registration is entirely electronic through the myUSCIS portal. Employers, not beneficiaries, are responsible for all registration steps. Beneficiaries should work closely with their employer's HR team or immigration attorney to ensure accurate information is submitted.
Employer Creates myUSCIS Account
The prospective employer (the registrant), not the worker, registers through a USCIS online organizational account. An attorney or accredited representative can submit registrations on the employer's behalf from a representative account.
Add Beneficiary with Valid Passport
Since FY2025, each registration must give the beneficiary's valid passport or travel document number, country of issuance and expiration date. USCIS selects by unique beneficiary, so a person counts once however many employers register them. If the same employer registers the same person twice, all of that employer's registrations for that person are invalid.
Enter Wage and Occupation Data
The employer gives the highest OEWS wage level (I to IV) that the offered wage equals or exceeds for the job's SOC code and work location. That level sets how many entries the registration gets. The employer attests to it under penalty of perjury, and the later petition must show the same level.
Pay $215 Registration Fee
The $215 fee per beneficiary is paid before the registration can be submitted. It replaced the $10 fee starting with FY2026 registration and is not refunded if the beneficiary is not selected.
Lottery Selection by Wage Tier
USCIS first selects toward the 65,000 regular cap from all registrations, then selects for the 20,000 U.S. master's exemption from those not yet chosen. In both rounds each unique beneficiary is entered into the random draw one to four times by wage level (four at Level IV, one at Level I).
File I-129 After Selection
Selected employers have a filing period of at least 90 days, stated in the selection notice, to file a complete I-129 H1B petition. This includes the Labor Condition Application (LCA) from DOL, the I-129 form, all supporting documents, and applicable USCIS filing fees.
Wage-weighted selection comes from the DHS weighted selection final rule (Federal Register 2025-23853), not the earlier H-1B Modernization rule. The registration states the highest OEWS wage level (I to IV) that the offered wage equals or exceeds for the job's SOC code and area; a wage below Level I counts as Level I, and a job with several work sites uses the lowest level the wage meets across them. No wage level is drawn ahead of the others: each registration gets one to four entries in a random draw, and DHS projects odds of about 61% at Level IV, 46% at Level III, 31% at Level II and 15% at Level I. USCIS has not published actual FY2027 odds by level.
Employers that offer Level I wages, more common at consulting and staffing firms, get the fewest entries; employers offering Level III and IV wages get the most. A higher wage only helps if it is the real offer: the employer attests to the level under penalty of perjury, the petition must show it, and USCIS can deny or revoke a petition based on an untrue registration. See how wage-based selection works.
To check what wage level applies to your specific occupation and location, use the DOL Foreign Labor Certification prevailing wage portal. Enter your SOC occupation code and the work location's metropolitan statistical area (MSA) to see all four wage tiers.
After the lottery, selected registrants receive a notification in the employer's myUSCIS account. The employer (often via an attorney) must then file a complete I-129 H1B petition within the filing period printed in the selection notice, which lasts at least 90 days. The petition must include: the Labor Condition Application (LCA) certified by DOL, Form I-129 with H supplement, the employer support letter, the beneficiary's educational credentials, and all required filing fees.
Under the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055), the I-129 H-1B fee is $780 on paper or $730 online, and $460 for small employers (25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees) and nonprofits. The Asylum Program fee is $600, $300 for small employers and $0 for nonprofits. Premium processing costs $2,965 and gets a USCIS action within 15 business days. Other fees can apply; see the full H1B fee breakdown.
For F-1 students, cap-gap extends status and any OPT work permission while a timely filed change-of-status H-1B petition is pending, until the H-1B starts and no later than April 1 of the fiscal year. This lets students keep working between OPT expiry and the October 1 H1B start date.
Workers who are currently outside the US can apply for an H1B visa stamp at a US consulate abroad after the I-129 is approved. Visa stamping interviews are conducted at US embassies and consulates worldwide, check current wait times at travel.state.gov visa wait times.
Cap-Exempt Employer
Any time of yearUniversities, their affiliated nonprofits, and nonprofit or government research organizations can file H1B petitions at any time, with no lottery.
O-1 Extraordinary Ability
2–4 months standard; 15 days premiumNo cap, no lottery. Requires demonstrated extraordinary achievement in your field, awards, publications, high salary, critical role.
EB-2 NIW Self-Petition
1–3 years processingNational Interest Waiver, petition for green card without employer sponsorship if work is in the US national interest. No PERM labor cert required.
TN Visa (NAFTA/USMCA)
Canadians: decided at the port of entryFor Canadian and Mexican citizens in eligible professions (engineers, accountants, scientists, etc.). No lottery, no annual cap.
Canada Express Entry / PR
6–12 months for PRApply for Canadian permanent residency. Many US-based professionals qualify with high CRS scores. Work in Canada for US firms remotely.
For a detailed breakdown of all options after an H1B rejection, see our full guide on what to do when not selected in the H1B lottery. You can also browse our H1B sponsors database to find cap-exempt employers currently hiring.
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Sumit Patel
SMIEEE · FBCS · FIETE | 16+ years data engineering | 30+ peer-reviewed papers
Sumit built H1BVisaJobs.com on 10 GB+ of DOL LCA disclosure data (FY2022–FY2025). All immigration data and analysis on this site comes from primary government sources.