US USCIS completes H-1B cap selection for FY 2027
Change
US USCIS met the annual 85,000 H-1B cap for FY 2027, completed both the regular and advanced-degree lotteries, and opened filing for selected beneficiaries beginning April 1, 2026.
Why it matters
The new wage-based selection model concentrates allocations toward higher-paid, higher-skilled registrations, reducing selection odds for lower-wage applicants. Selected petitioners face stricter evidentiary requirements at petition filing — including the updated I-129 form, the selection notice, passport identification used at registration, and documentation justifying the claimed wage level — increasing compliance demands.
Implications
- • US employers and their immigration attorneys must file H-1B cap-subject petitions for selected beneficiaries using the February 27 edition of Form I-129 and include the selection notice, the passport used at registration, and evidence supporting the claimed wage level.
- • US employers sponsoring H-1B beneficiaries from outside the United States must budget for and, where applicable, pay the $100,000 charge that applies in certain overseas-sponsorship cases.
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