USCIS Completes FY 2027 H-1B Cap Lottery

April 7, 2026

What's New

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received a sufficient number of electronic registrations during the initial H-1B lottery registration period to reach the fiscal year 2027 H-1B cap, including the advanced degree exemption cap. USCIS has completed the selection process and notified employers whose registrations were selected. Registration status is available in your USCIS online account.

For selected beneficiaries, employers may begin filing H-1B cap‑subject petitions for FY 2027 as of April 1, 2026. USCIS has indicated that the filing window will be at least 90 days, and only employers with selected registrations are eligible to file.

What It Means

Selection in the lottery does not confer H-1B approval, but only eligibility to file a cap‑subject petition. Employers must ensure that the information in the H‑1B petition matches the registration, including the offered position, wage level, and beneficiary identifying information. USCIS has emphasized that petitions must be supported by the same passport or travel document used during registration as well as evidence supporting the wage level selected.

USCIS has also issued a new edition of Form I‑129 dated 02/27/26, which will be mandatory for all FY 2027 H‑1B cap filings submitted on or after April 1.

What You Should Do

Employers with selected registrations should begin preparing H‑1B petitions immediately to ensure timely filing within the designated window. Employers should also confirm use of the correct Form I‑129, include the required selection notice, be prepared for additional information requests from USCIS, and carefully review petition materials for consistency with the underlying registration before submission.

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