FY 2027 Electronic Registration Opens March 4 – U.S. Employers Have Just 15 Days to Register

NPZ Law Group alerts employers to critical deadlines, new wage-weighted selection rules, and strategic preparation requirements.

Ridgewood, NJ – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the FY 2027 H-1B cap electronic registration period will open March 4, 2026 (12:00 PM Eastern) and close on March 19, 2026 (12:00 PM Eastern). With only 15 days to act, the attorneys at NPZ Law Group are urging employers to begin preparation immediately to avoid missing this critical window for FY 2027 H-1B visa sponsorship.

The H-1B visa is the primary pathway for U.S. employers to hire foreign nationals in specialty occupations, including technology, engineering, finance, healthcare, and scientific research. Each year, USCIS conducts a lottery to select registrants from the congressionally mandated cap of 85,000 new H-1B visas. Registration is the critical first step, and only registered employers whose beneficiaries are selected in the lottery may proceed with a full H-1B petition.

Key Employer Deadlines for FY 2027

Employers and their authorized representatives must be aware of the following critical dates:

• Registration Opens: March 4, 2026 (12:00 PM ET)
• Registration Closes: March 19, 2026 (12:00 PM ET)
• Selection Notifications: By March 31, 2026 (via USCIS online accounts)
• H-1B Petition Filing Begins: April 1, 2026
• Registration Fee: $215 per beneficiary (non-refundable)

New for FY 2027: Wage-Weighted Selection Methodology

For the FY 2027 cap season, USCIS may prioritize higher-skilled and higher-paid beneficiaries in the lottery process. Under a wage-weighted selection methodology, registrations for workers offered higher wages relative to the prevailing wage for their occupation and location may receive preferential consideration if registrations exceed the annual cap. This represents a meaningful shift in selection dynamics and has significant strategic implications for employers.

Additionally, employers should be aware that a Presidential Proclamation regarding restrictions on the entry of certain nonimmigrant workers may require some petitioners to pay an additional $100,000 fee before filing an H-1B petition, depending on applicability. Employers are strongly encouraged to consult with qualified immigration counsel to understand how this and other regulatory changes may affect their workforce planning.

How Employers Can Prepare

Given the compressed timeline and new regulatory complexities, employers who intend to sponsor H-1B workers for FY 2027 should take the following steps:

• Confirm whether positions and candidates are cap-subject or cap-exempt
• Identify all prospective H-1B beneficiaries and begin gathering required information
• Establish or verify access to a USCIS organizational account
• Evaluate offered wages in light of the wage-weighted selection methodology
• Review the potential applicability of the Presidential Proclamation and associated fee requirements
• Ensure documentation is in order before March 4.

NPZ Law Group has published the following resources to guide employers through the FY 2027 H-1B Cap season:

• FY 2027 H-1B Cap Lottery Registration: Key Dates and Next Steps
• H-1B Visa Lottery 2026-2027: Updates, Wage-Weighted Selection & Employer Strategy

The attorneys at NPZ Law Group are available to assist employers of all sizes with every aspect of the FY 2027 H-1B registration process, from eligibility assessment and registration strategy to full petition preparation and compliance review.

About NPZ Law Group

If you or your family members have any questions about how immigration and nationality laws in the United States may affect you, or if you want to access additional information about immigration and nationality laws in the United States or Canada, please do not hesitate to contact the immigration and nationality lawyers at NPZ Law Group. You can reach us by emailing info@visaserve.com or by calling us at 201-670-0006 extension 104. We also invite you to visit our website for more information.