FY27 H-1B Lottery Registration: What Employers and Candidates Need to Know

If you have international talent on your team — or you are that international talent waiting on your employer to move — here is the most important thing you need to know right now: the FY2027 H-1B cap registration window is open and closes at noon Eastern Time on March 19, 2026. You have less than two weeks.

More importantly, this is not a standard year. The rules have changed in a way that makes strategic preparation more valuable — and inaction more costly — than ever before.

H-1B Lottery Registration Window

USCIS opened the FY2027 H-1B cap registration period on March 4, 2026. It runs through noon ET on March 19, 2026. Employers must use their USCIS online account to electronically register each candidate and pay the $215 registration fee per beneficiary before that deadline. After the window closes, USCIS will run the selection process and intends to notify selected registrants through their online accounts by March 31, 2026. If selected, employers have a 90-day window to file the full H-1B petition, with an employment start date no earlier than October 1, 2026.

Weighted Selection by Wage Level

For years, the H-1B lottery was a random draw. Your candidate had the same odds as anyone else in the pool, unless they have a U.S. Masters. That changes with the FY2027 cap season. Effective February 27, 2026, USCIS replaced the purely random lottery with a wage-level weighted selection system. Under this rule, each registration is entered into the selection pool a different number of times depending on the offered wage level, as determined by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data for the specific occupation and geographic area. In practice, a Level 4 candidate has four times the selection probability of a Level 1 candidate. This is a seismic shift in how H-1B strategy should work.

Another critical nuance is that if the same beneficiary is registered by multiple employers, USCIS will use the lowest wage level offered across all registrations to determine the weighted multiplier. This means a well-intentioned backup registration at a lower wage level could actually hurt the candidate’s odds.

Employer Considerations

The wage-weighted system makes pre-registration preparation far more important than in prior years. Before submitting a registration, employers and their immigration counsel should complete the following:

• Identify every candidate who needs a cap-subject H-1B registration for FY2027.
• Confirm the correct Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code for each position.
• Determine the OEWS wage level that applies to the offered salary based on the position’s duties and the geographic work location.
• Make sure your USCIS organizational account is active and accessible — representatives may be linked to it, but employers must create an account themselves.
• Submit registrations and the $215 per-candidate fee before the March 19 deadline.
• Document the wage level determination carefully — you will need to provide evidence of the wage level basis when filing the H-1B petition.
• $100,000 H-1B Fee: this fee applies to beneficiaries who are outside the United States and seeking consular processing, or whose petitions request consular notification. For candidates already in the U.S. whose petition is approved for a change of status, this fee generally does not apply. This is a critical distinction for many employers working with candidates currently on OPT, L-1, or other status inside the U.S.
• Geographic wage level strategy: Because OEWS wage levels are determined by geography, the same salary may qualify as Level 3 in one market and Level 1 in another. A role in a lower cost-of-living area may carry a higher weighted multiplier for the same compensation — a legitimate strategic consideration worth discussing with counsel before submitting registrations.

Employee Considerations

If you are a skilled professional who needs H-1B sponsorship, your role in this process is more active than many people realize. You should not assume your employer is handling it without checking in. Start by confirming that your employer knows the registration window is open and when it closes. Many HR teams and hiring managers are not immigration specialists — and the March 19 deadline will pass quickly. If your employer is hesitant or unsure how to proceed, connecting them with experienced immigration counsel now may be helpful.

The Lottery Doesn’t Guarantee a Selection or Approval

Even with the weighted system, the H-1B remains a cap-subject lottery. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of registrations have been submitted for roughly 85,000 available visas. Even a Level 4 candidate faces meaningful uncertainty.

That is why it is worth having a Plan B in place before March 31 — not after. At Crossing Frontiers, we work with employers and professionals to build immigration strategies that don’t depend on a single pathway, depending on eligibility. If the lottery doesn’t go your way this year, there are other routes worth exploring — including alternatives that, for some candidates, are a stronger fit than the H-1B ever was.

We’ve covered these in depth in our article: H‑1B Lottery: What to Do If You’re Not Selected. If you are weighing your options or preparing a backup plan, this is a good place to start.

Key Dates

• March 4–19, 2026 — FY2027 H-1B registration window (closes noon ET, March 19)
• By March 31, 2026 — USCIS sends selection notifications
• April 1 – ~June 30, 2026 — 90-day petition filing window for selected registrants
• October 1, 2026 — Earliest employment start date for approved petitions

CONCLUSION

The FY2027 H-1B lottery is not the same lottery it was last year. The wage-weighted selection system rewards employers who offer competitive, market-rate compensation and who invest the time to prepare registrations strategically. For employees, it is a reason to be more engaged with the process.

If you are navigating this window — whether as an employer registering candidates, an employee waiting on a sponsoring company to act, or a professional wondering whether the H-1B is even the right path — we are here to help you think through it clearly.

Navigating legal requirements and employer compliance isn’t easy. We are here to help guide you through the process. Book a consult today or reach out if you have any questions!

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration law is complex and fact-specific. Please consult with a licensed immigration attorney regarding your individual situation.

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