1. USCIS Announces FY 2026 H-1B Cap Registration Details

On February 5, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the initial registration period for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 H-1B cap.

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Key Timeline for FY 2026 H-1B Registration 

• Registration Opens: March 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM (ET)
• Registration Closes: March 24, 2025, at 12:00 PM (ET)

During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives must register each beneficiary electronically using a USCIS online account and pay the $215 registration fee per beneficiary. Based on past experience, selection results are expected to be released by the end of March or early April.

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2. What’s the Key Information for FY 2026 H-1B?

• Increased H-1B Registration Fee
  • The H-1B registration fee has increased from $10 to $215 per beneficiary.

• Beneficiary-Centric Selection Process
  • USCIS will select beneficiaries, not registrations.
  • If multiple employers submit registrations for the same beneficiary, it will not increase their selection chances.

• Organizational Account Enhancements for H-1B Filing
  • Employers who did not use their H-1B registrant accounts for FY 2025 will have their accounts automatically converted to organizational accounts upon their next login.
  • First-time registrants can create a USCIS online account at any time before registration opens.

For more details, visit the USCIS H-1B Electronic Registration Process page