U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that electronic registration for the Fiscal-Year 2027 H-1B cap will open at noon ET on March 4 and close at noon ET on March 19. The agency quietly updated its website on February 9, marking the first season governed by the Department of Homeland Security’s new wage-weighted selection rule.
Under the rule, finalized in December, registrations tied to Level-IV prevailing wages receive four entries in the selection pool, Level III three entries, Level II two, and Level I a single entry. Employers must pay a $215 registration fee—up from $10—and use the revamped ‘organizational account’ portal. USCIS will issue selection notices by March 31, with petition filing to run from April 1 through June 30.
Amid these developments, employers and foreign nationals looking for practical assistance with U.S. immigration paperwork can turn to VisaHQ. The platform’s dedicated U.S. section (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) provides step-by-step guidance, document checklists, and application services that streamline visa planning—support that can be particularly valuable during the compressed H-1B registration window.
![USCIS sets March 4–19 window for first wage-weighted H-1B cap registration]()
The change fundamentally alters talent-acquisition strategy. Large tech firms may raise wage offers to improve odds, while start-ups reliant on entry-level STEM graduates could see selection chances plummet. Immigration counsel are advising early wage-level analysis, SOC-code alignment and documentation audits to avoid post-selection RFEs or revocations. Multinationals must also budget for a potential $100,000 proclamation-mandated fee that could apply to some offshore petitions once the rule takes effect.
For foreign students completing OPT in 2026, the weighted lottery raises the stakes: falling below Level II wages could mean losing the only realistic avenue to stay. Universities are scrambling to brief career-services staff; some have scheduled emergency webinars for international graduates next week.
Legal challenges are expected, but most experts believe the rule will stand for this cap season. Employers therefore have less than a month to align compensation plans and assemble beneficiary data for the most complex H-1B lottery since the system’s inception in 2005.
Under the rule, finalized in December, registrations tied to Level-IV prevailing wages receive four entries in the selection pool, Level III three entries, Level II two, and Level I a single entry. Employers must pay a $215 registration fee—up from $10—and use the revamped ‘organizational account’ portal. USCIS will issue selection notices by March 31, with petition filing to run from April 1 through June 30.
Amid these developments, employers and foreign nationals looking for practical assistance with U.S. immigration paperwork can turn to VisaHQ. The platform’s dedicated U.S. section (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) provides step-by-step guidance, document checklists, and application services that streamline visa planning—support that can be particularly valuable during the compressed H-1B registration window.
The change fundamentally alters talent-acquisition strategy. Large tech firms may raise wage offers to improve odds, while start-ups reliant on entry-level STEM graduates could see selection chances plummet. Immigration counsel are advising early wage-level analysis, SOC-code alignment and documentation audits to avoid post-selection RFEs or revocations. Multinationals must also budget for a potential $100,000 proclamation-mandated fee that could apply to some offshore petitions once the rule takes effect.
For foreign students completing OPT in 2026, the weighted lottery raises the stakes: falling below Level II wages could mean losing the only realistic avenue to stay. Universities are scrambling to brief career-services staff; some have scheduled emergency webinars for international graduates next week.
Legal challenges are expected, but most experts believe the rule will stand for this cap season. Employers therefore have less than a month to align compensation plans and assemble beneficiary data for the most complex H-1B lottery since the system’s inception in 2005.
