USCIS to Begin H-1B Registrations from March 4 with $215 Fee

• USCIS opens H-1B initial registration on March 4, requiring employers to pay $215 fee online.
• Selected H-1B registrations allow employers to file cap-subject petitions for foreign professionals under US immigration.
• US government announces additional 64,000 H-2B visas to ease seasonal labor shortages across multiple industries.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has advised that the first period of registration for the H-1B Visa Fiscal Year 2027 subject to cap will be opened up to start from 12 PM EST, March 4, 2026 through until March 19, 2026, during which time, U.S employers will be accepted to come forward to register their foreign professional candidates for possible H-1b work visa approval.

During this time frame, registrants’ employers and representatives who are authorized to submit will be required to submit their candidates registration using an account created on the USCIS website, pay the [$215] non-refundable registration fee for each registration submitted, and wait to be notified of the outcome for their candidates as qualified by Thomas in the selections for the named date of March 31, 2026.

Once an employer has completed their registration process, only those who remain selected will be able to file an H-1B petition under the cap for their respective candidates.

USCIS will use its first weighted selection system to choose H-1B candidates when registration numbers exceed the H-1B annual cap because this system will select workers with advanced skills and higher salaries instead of using a random lottery system.

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The new selection process gives preference to applicants who demonstrate both advanced skills and higher wage levels because these changes represent a fundamental shift in applicant evaluation methods for the selection process which will take effect in fiscal year 2027.

The new regulations require some employers to pay an additional $100,000 fee before they can submit their cap-subject petitions because their eligibility depends on future regulatory changes.

The U.S. government has declared a temporary extension of the H-2B non-immigrant visa program which will grant an additional 64716 visas for the fiscal year 2026 to help seasonal non-agricultural sectors including hospitality and landscaping and construction.

Employers need this supplemental increase because they face "impending irreparable harm" when their operations lack foreign worker access.

The H-1B and H-2B visa systems will experience major modifications because these changes affect international students who move from Optional Practical Training to employment and employers who depend on international workers to satisfy United States workforce needs.