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.
For FY2027, three major changes continue to shape the landscape: the $215 per-beneficiary registration fee (up from the old $10 fee), the unique passport requirement that disqualifies duplicate registrations, and the wage-based lottery weighting that gives higher-paid job offers priority in selection. Understanding all three changes is essential for employers and workers planning their FY2027 strategy.
According to USCIS's official H-1B electronic registration page, the agency processed 343,981 eligible registrations for FY2026, selecting approximately 118,660 beneficiaries — a 35.3% selection rate that represents a significant improvement over the 14.2% rate seen in FY2024 when nearly 781,000 registrations flooded the system. The sharp decline in registrations from FY2024 to FY2026 is directly attributable to the unique passport rule and the higher fee deterring fraudulent multiple-registrations.
$215 Registration Fee
The non-refundable registration fee per beneficiary jumped from $10 to $215 starting FY2025. This fee is paid by the employer at the time of registration — before lottery selection — and is not returned if the beneficiary is not selected. For employers registering large groups of workers, this significantly increases upfront costs.
Unique Passport Rule
Effective FY2025, each beneficiary may only be registered once per employer, and USCIS cross-checks passport numbers across all registrations. If multiple employers register the same passport number, all associated registrations for that beneficiary are invalidated. This rule directly addressed the FY2023–2024 fraud crisis where staffing firms submitted thousands of fraudulent duplicate registrations.
Wage-Based Selection
Instead of a fully random lottery, USCIS now uses the offered wage relative to the DOL prevailing wage to prioritize selection. Job offers at the highest wage tier (Level IV — substantially above prevailing wage) are selected first. Selection moves down through tiers II and I until the 65,000 cap is reached. This systematically disadvantages consulting and staffing firms that place workers at lower wage levels.
The dramatic reduction in fraudulent registrations following the unique-passport rule has meaningfully improved selection odds for legitimate applicants. The table below shows the trend over four fiscal years.
| Fiscal Year | Registrations | Selected | Selection Rate | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 780,884 | 110,791 | 14.2% | Record high; USCIS ran 2 rounds |
| FY2025 | 470,342 | 114,017 | 24.3% | Sharp drop after unique-passport rule |
| FY2026 | 343,981 | 118,660 | 35.3% | Lowest volume since 2019 |
| FY2027 | ~320,000 est. | ~114,000 est. | ~35–37% est. | Wage-based weighting + $215 fee |
The registration window typically opens March 1 and closes March 20, though USCIS can adjust these dates. Begin preparing in January to ensure employer accounts, attorney relationships, and documentation are in order before the window opens.
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 petitioning employer (not the beneficiary) must have an active myUSCIS organizational account. Attorneys or Designated School Officials cannot register on their own — the employer's authorized representative must create and manage the account.
Add Beneficiary with Unique Passport
Since FY2025, each beneficiary must have a unique passport number linked to their registration. Duplicate passport numbers across multiple employer registrations result in all duplicate registrations being invalidated — protecting against registration gaming.
Enter Wage and Occupation Data
The employer enters the offered wage for the position. This wage data is used to determine which lottery tier (I through IV) the beneficiary falls into. Accurate reporting is essential — misrepresentation can lead to fraud findings.
Pay $215 Registration Fee
The $215 fee per beneficiary must be paid during the registration window. Unlike the old $10 fee, this new fee applies at registration — before selection. There is no refund if the beneficiary is not selected.
Lottery Selection by Wage Tier
USCIS first fills the 20,000 U.S. master's cap from all registrations with a qualifying advanced degree. Then USCIS runs wage-based selection for the 65,000 regular cap. Higher wage tiers are selected first until the cap is reached.
File I-129 After Selection
Selected employers have approximately 90 days from 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.
The wage-based lottery system, formalized in the H-1B Modernization Final Rule, ties selection probability directly to the offered wage. USCIS uses the Department of Labor's four-tier wage level framework — the same system used for Labor Condition Applications — to bucket registrations. Tier IV roles (at least 20% above the Level IV prevailing wage for the occupation and geography) receive first-priority selection. This essentially means that a software engineer offered $200,000 in San Francisco has a substantially higher probability of selection than one offered $90,000 for the same occupation.
Consulting and staffing firms that have historically placed workers at Wage Level I (entry-level prevailing wages) are most disadvantaged by this system. Direct-hire employers in finance, Big Tech, and pharmaceutical companies — who routinely offer Level III and IV wages — benefit most. For beneficiaries working with staffing sponsors, it is worth negotiating a higher wage offer specifically to improve lottery tier classification.
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 (via their attorney) must then file a complete I-129 H1B petition, typically within 90 days of the selection notice. 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.
The current base I-129 filing fee is $730 for employers with 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, and higher for larger employers. USCIS added a new Asylum Program fee effective FY2025. Premium processing, available for $2,805, guarantees a USCIS decision within 15 business days and is strongly recommended for anyone starting October 1 with a job that requires a prompt decision.
For workers currently on OPT/STEM OPT, the cap-gap rule extends your OPT authorization through September 30 if your I-129 was timely filed before your OPT expired. This means you can continue working without interruption between OPT expiry and the October 1 H1B start date, provided your employer's petition was filed on time.
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, hospitals, nonprofits research orgs — file H1B any time, no lottery. Over 400,000 H1B workers are at cap-exempt entities.
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)
Entry-level — same day at POEFor 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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Balaji Ingole
SMIEEE · FBCS · FIETE | 16+ years data engineering | 30+ peer-reviewed papers
Balaji 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. Read full bio →