On February 25, 2025, USCIS announced information for the initial registration period for the FY2026 H-1B cap. The fiscal year will run from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. Individuals selected in this year’s H-1B lottery who then submit an H-1B petition that is approved, may begin working in H-1B Status on October 1, 2025.
Key Takeaways:
Registration:
- Start at Noon EST on Friday, March 7, 2025
- End at Noon EST on Monday, March 24, 2025
Registration Filing Fee:
- $215.00
Method for Registration:
- Electronically through the USCIS online account portals, accessible at https://my.uscis.gov/.
Selection Date:
- After March 24, 2025, but no later than March 31, 2025
Note: While organizations may create an online USCIS account prior to March 7, they will not be able to add registrants/beneficiaries until March 7.
Like last year, USCIS will use the beneficiary-centric selection process. Under this approach, registrations are selected by the individual beneficiary, rather than by the registration or company. In other words, even if a beneficiary has multiple registrations in the lottery, the beneficiary will only be selected once.
As a reminder, USCIS announced its final H-1B Modernization rule, which went into effect January 17, 2025. These rules are in place for this year’s H-1B Cap-subject lottery. For more information on the H-1B modernization rule, you can visit https://www.kolkocasey.com/h-1b-modernization-rule/
For more information on the H-1B program, or if you want our firm’s assistance with the registration for new H-1Bs, please reach out to Kolko & Casey, P.C. at (303) 371-1822.
About the Author
Petula McShiras is a Senior Associate Attorney at Kolko & Casey, P.C. Petula specializes in employment based, naturalization and family based immigration matters.
