H-1B Lottery 2027: Registration, Results, Dates, and What to Do Next

The H1B lottery 2027 is already behind us. Registration for fiscal year (FY) 2027, the government year running from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, took place in March 2026. USCIS completed selection that month, and in July it announced that the annual cap had been reached. If you are reading this in October 2026, no FY 2027 registration is open, and USCIS has said it does not expect another selection round.

That still leaves real questions. Was a registration selected, and what comes next? If not, what are the options? And if you were actually looking for the registration happening in March 2027, that belongs to FY 2028, a separate cap season. This guide keeps confirmed facts apart from expectations so you can plan with confidence.

H-1B Lottery 2027: Latest Updates and Current Status

As of October 17, 2026, the FY 2027 H-1B cap season is closed. Registration ended in March 2026, and on July 17, 2026 USCIS announced it had received enough petitions to reach the full 85,000-visa limit, so it will not run a second selection.

Here is what the USCIS announcements and law-firm reports of them confirm:

• Registration: March 4–19, 2026, with a $215 fee per registration.
• Selection: FY 2027 was the first season to use wage-weighted selection.
• Petition filing: Selected registrants could file from April 1 through June 30, 2026.
• Cap reached: July 17, 2026, covering both the 65,000 regular cap and the 20,000 advanced-degree exemption.
• Volume: USCIS reported 211,600 properly submitted registrations, down from 343,981 the year before.

Among the broader H-1B visa 2027 updates, USCIS continues to accept petitions that are not subject to the cap, such as extensions of stay, amendments, and changes of employer for current H-1B workers.

What we could not confirm: USCIS had not published an FY 2027 selection rate when we researched this article, and it has not announced FY 2028 registration dates. We say so rather than guess. Check the USCIS H-1B Cap Season page for changes.

H-1B Lottery 2027 Dates and Registration Deadline

The FY 2027 registration deadline was March 19, 2026, and it has passed. Selected employers could file petitions from April 1 to June 30, 2026.

Milestone	Date	Status
Registration opened	March 4, 2026, noon ET	Confirmed
Registration deadline	March 19, 2026, noon ET as announced*	Confirmed
Selection notices	USCIS targeted March 31, 2026; completed by then	Confirmed
Petition filing window	April 1 – June 30, 2026 (90 days)	Confirmed
Cap-reached announcement	July 17, 2026	Confirmed
Earliest employment start	October 1, 2026	Standard start for FY 2027 cap petitions
FY 2028 registration	Not yet announced; generally expected March 2027	Unconfirmed

*Some practitioner alerts reported a same-day extension to 5:00 p.m. ET. We could not verify that on the USCIS page, and it no longer affects anyone’s FY 2027 options.

The H-1B lottery 2027 dates follow the usual pattern: registration, selection, a petition window, then an October 1 start. If you want the next cycle, note that federal regulations require the initial registration period to last at least 14 days, and USCIS announces the exact dates on its website. Until it does, any March 2027 date is an expectation, not a deadline.

What Is H-1B Registration for FY 2027?

H-1B registration is the required online step USCIS uses to manage demand for cap-subject petitions before any full petition is filed.

A prospective petitioner is the U.S. employer (or its authorized representative) that intends to sponsor a worker. The beneficiary is the worker. To complete H-1B registration 2027, the employer creates a USCIS online account, enters company and beneficiary information, and pays the fee. Each beneficiary is identified by a valid passport or travel document, and FY 2027 registrations also reported the offered wage level, occupational code, and worksite.

Registration is not an H-1B petition. It asks USCIS to approve nothing; it only places the beneficiary in the selection pool. Only after selection can the employer file Form I-129, the full petition, with supporting evidence. A cap-subject petition, including one under the advanced-degree exemption, may be filed only if its registration was selected. That sequence defined the H-1B cap season 2027, and employers should expect the same framework again unless USCIS announces changes.

H-1B Lottery Eligibility 2027

A cap-subject case generally needs a U.S. employer, a job that qualifies as a specialty occupation, and a beneficiary whose education or equivalent experience fits that job. A degree alone does not settle it.

A specialty occupation is a role that normally requires specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in a specific field. USCIS evaluates the job as well as the person: the duties, the employer’s requirements, and whether the beneficiary’s background actually matches. The employer must also offer a qualifying wage and obtain a certified Labor Condition Application from the Department of Labor before filing.

Two numerical limits apply each year: 65,000 under the regular cap and 20,000 additional numbers for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree or higher. Beneficiaries who qualify for that advanced-degree exemption receive an additional opportunity for selection.

Some employers are cap-exempt, including many institutions of higher education, their affiliated nonprofits, and certain nonprofit or governmental research organizations. Those petitions can be filed outside the lottery, but exemption depends on the employer’s status and the role, so confirm it rather than assume it.

H-1B lottery eligibility 2027 also depended on having a sponsoring employer willing to register you. Individuals could not register themselves.

H-1B Lottery Selection Process

Short answer: When registrations exceed what USCIS needs, it selects from unique beneficiaries using a weighted draw. FY 2027 was the first year that weighting was based on wage level.

Under a DHS final rule that took effect February 27, 2026, each beneficiary enters the pool one to four times, depending on the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) wage level the offered salary meets. Level I earns one entry; Level IV earns four. The beneficiary-centric approach continued: each person is counted once by passport, no matter how many employers register them, and if several registrations exist, USCIS weights using the lowest wage level among them.

The design does not shut out entry-level jobs; it gives them fewer entries. USCIS may deny petitions where an employer lowers the wage or otherwise changes the facts after selection to gain an advantage, and petitions must include the source material behind the registered wage level.

Most important, the H-1B lottery selection process ends where adjudication begins. Selection is not petition approval, and it is not a visa. It is permission to file.

H-1B Visa Registration Fee 2027

The FY 2027 registration fee was $215 per registration.

The employer or its representative submits the registration and pays through the USCIS online account. Beneficiaries generally do not register or pay on their own, and the fee generally does not come back if a registration is not selected.

The H-1B visa registration fee 2027 is only the entry ticket. A selected employer then faces Form I-129 filing fees and related charges that vary by employer size and options such as premium processing, plus Labor Condition Application and legal costs. Check the current USCIS fee schedule rather than relying on a figure from an older article.

Separately, a $100,000 payment policy for certain new H-1B petitions for beneficiaries outside the United States has dominated headlines. A September 18, 2026 proclamation extended it through September 21, 2027, but federal courts in Massachusetts (June 2026) and the Northern District of California (September 30, 2026) have blocked the implementing policies, and litigation continues. DHS has also proposed a separate rule with a fee above $103,000 that is not final. This area is changing quickly, so verify the current status before budgeting.

H-1B Visa Lottery 2027 Results: How to Check Your Status

The registrant, meaning your employer or its representative, checks status in its USCIS online account. Beneficiaries usually learn the outcome through the employer or an attorney.

For FY 2027, results appeared in the registrant’s account in late March 2026. A “Selected” status meant the employer could file a cap-subject petition. Registrations not chosen initially remained “Submitted” until USCIS announced the cap was reached; after the July 17 announcement they were expected to change to “Not Selected,” meaning the registration cannot support an FY 2027 cap petition. Practitioners also describe statuses such as “Denied” or “Invalidated” for duplicate-registration or payment problems. Confirm the current wording on USCIS’s site, since terminology can change.

If you are wondering about your H-1B visa lottery 2027 results, ask your employer’s HR team or counsel for the H-1B selection notice 2027 that applies to you. An H-1B lottery status check is done by the account holder or an authorized representative, and you should not assume you can log into your employer’s account. Many employers will share a screenshot or copy on request.

What Happens After H-1B Lottery Selection?

Selection gives the employer a filing window for a full H-1B petition. It does not guarantee approval.

For FY 2027, that window ran 90 days, from April 1 to June 30, 2026, and has closed. The general sequence, which employers should expect again, looks like this:

1. Prepare the petition. Form I-129, a certified Labor Condition Application, evidence that the job is a specialty occupation, proof of the beneficiary’s qualifications, and a copy of the selection notice. Wage level, occupational code, and worksite should stay consistent with the registration.
2. File within the window at the location shown on the selection notice. A selected registration does not allow late filing.
3. Adjudication. USCIS may approve, deny, or issue a request for evidence (RFE) asking for more documentation. An RFE is not a denial, but it needs a timely, well-prepared response.
4. Status change or visa stamping. Beneficiaries inside the U.S., such as F-1 students, may request a change of status. Those abroad generally use consular processing. Employment under an FY 2027 cap petition could not begin before October 1, 2026.

F-1 students with timely filed cap petitions may qualify for cap-gap protection; a designated school official or attorney can confirm. Keep three milestones separate: selection allows filing, approval means USCIS accepted the petition, and a visa or status change is what finally allows work to begin.

H-1B Lottery Chances 2027: What Affects Your Chances?

USCIS had not published an FY 2027 selection rate when we researched this article, so any exact percentage is a guess.

What is known: 85,000 cap numbers were available (65,000 regular plus 20,000 advanced-degree), and USCIS reported 211,600 properly submitted registrations. It did not report how many were selected. Dividing 85,000 by 211,600 would mislead, because USCIS selects based on projected petition filings and approvals rather than a one-to-one match with visas, and weighted entries mean odds differ by wage level. For the same reason, we do not reuse earlier years’ percentages: the system and the volume of registrations have both changed.

H-1B lottery chances 2027 therefore depended mainly on the offered wage level, whether the beneficiary qualified for the advanced-degree exemption, and how many other unique beneficiaries registered. No employer, attorney, or website can guarantee selection.

What If You Were Not Selected?

For FY 2027, there is no second selection round, and unselected registrations do not carry over.

Start by confirming with your employer that the registration shows “Not Selected.” USCIS announced on July 17, 2026 that the cap was reached, so there is no reason to wait for another round this fiscal year. An employer may register you again in the FY 2028 season if you remain eligible, but USCIS has not yet announced those dates.

In the meantime, ask a qualified immigration attorney which options fit your facts. Depending on your situation, they may include cap-exempt H-1B employment (for example, with a qualifying university or nonprofit research organization), a STEM OPT extension if you are eligible, or other categories such as O-1, L-1, or treaty-based visas. Whether any of these apply depends on your background, your employer, and your nationality.

Avoid shortcuts. Duplicate or misleading registrations for the same beneficiary can invalidate registrations and create far bigger problems than a missed lottery.

How Orange Law Can Help

Orange Law handles immigration matters, and its founder, attorney Karan Joshi, is available to discuss H-1B questions with employers and applicants. A conversation can help you make sense of registration status, assess whether a role is likely to meet specialty occupation requirements, plan petition preparation, and think through next steps if a registration was not selected. No attorney can promise lottery selection, petition approval, or a visa.

If you would like to talk through your situation, contact Orange Law to schedule a consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The h1b lottery 2027 is complete: registration closed in March 2026, selected employers had until June 30, 2026 to file, and on July 17 USCIS announced the cap was reached with no second round. Keep the milestones separate. Registration places a beneficiary in the pool, selection allows a petition to be filed, approval means USCIS accepted the petition, and a visa or status change is what finally permits work. If you were not selected, the next cap opportunity is FY 2028, with dates still to be announced. If it would help to review your options, Orange Law is happy to talk them through, with no pressure.