H-1B Lottery 2027 (FY2028): Expected Dates, the $215 Fee and How Weighted Selection Works This Time

USCIS has not announced the FY2028 H-1B registration window yet, so here is what is confirmed, what is only expected for March 2027, and what to settle with your employer now.

Part of our guide to the H-1B lottery.

The H-1B lottery 2027, which USCIS calls FY2028 cap registration, has not been announced. As of November 1, 2026, the USCIS registration page still shows last cycle's dates, and the agency must announce the next window at least 30 calendar days before it opens. Based on prior years, registration is expected in March 2027; the FY2027 window ran March 4 to 19, 2026, at $215 per registration. Wage-weighted selection is in effect (since February 27, 2026) and will run the FY2028 draw unless DHS amends the rule, so your wage level now matters as much as your timing.

Status line, as of November 1, 2026:

• Not announced: FY2028 dates and fee. March 2027 is an expectation from prior cycles, not a USCIS date.
• In effect: wage-weighted selection (no amendment or lawsuit found) and cap-gap up to April 1 for timely cap-subject change-of-status petitions.
• Proposed, not law: a $103,265 fee for certain cap-subject petitions (RIN 1615-AD20) and DOL's prevailing-wage rule (RIN 1205-AC30).
• Under White House (OIRA) review, unpublished: "Reforming the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program" (RIN 1615-AD00), since 2026-08-24.
• Blocked: collection of the $100,000 payment. Proclamation 11069 remains in effect on paper until September 21, 2027.

When is the H-1B lottery in 2027?

USCIS has not set dates for the H-1B lottery in 2027. Based on prior cycles, the FY2028 registration window is expected in March 2027; the FY2027 window ran March 4 to 19, 2026. By regulation, USCIS must announce the opening at least 30 calendar days in advance and keep registration open for at least 14 calendar days.

Why "FY2028"? USCIS names each cycle for the fiscal year in which the H-1B would start (October 1, 2027), so "H-1B registration 2027" and "FY2028 registration" mean the same window.

The rule is 8 CFR 214.2(h)(8)(iii)(A)(3): registration "will start at least 14 calendar days before the earliest date on which H-1B cap-subject petitions may be filed," and USCIS "will announce the start of the initial registration period at least 30 calendar days in advance of such date." If April 1 is again the first filing day, registration must open by March 18, 2027 and be announced by February 16, 2027 at the latest. That is our arithmetic, not a USCIS date; USCIS can announce earlier.

Has USCIS announced FY2028 H-1B registration dates?

No. The USCIS H-1B Electronic Registration Process page, last updated September 21, 2026, still lists the FY2027 schedule and fee, and its historical data table ends at FY2026. For how last cycle played out, see our FY2027 registration and odds guide.

When do H-1B results come out in 2027?

Not announced either. For FY2027, USCIS named March 31 as the "date by which USCIS intends to notify selected registrants," and filing opened April 1. USCIS notifies "registrants and their representatives" through their USCIS online accounts, so agree now with your employer on who tells you and when. A selected employer gets a filing period of at least 90 days. The FY2027 cap was reached on July 17, 2026 with no second selection (Mintz, 2026-07-20), so do not count on one.

FY2027 actual vs FY2028 status, as of 2026-11

How does the wage-weighted H-1B selection work?

USCIS enters each unique beneficiary into the draw one to four times, based on the highest OEWS wage level your offered salary equals or exceeds for the job's SOC code and work location: four entries for Level IV, three for Level III, two for Level II, one for Level I. The final rule took effect February 27, 2026 and covers registrations submitted on or after that date, so it governs FY2028 unless DHS amends it.

Selection still has two stages: a draw from all registrants for the 65,000 regular cap, then a draw from the remaining registrants eligible for the 20,000 advanced-degree exemption (a US master's or higher). The weighting applies to both draws. For the new-grad angle, see our wage-based H-1B lottery playbook for new grads.

The details that decide your wage level

The regulatory text, 8 CFR 214.2(h)(8)(iii)(A)(4) and (D)(1) in the rule as printed on govinfo, is stricter than most summaries:

• What the employer enters. The SOC code, the area of intended employment, the highest OEWS wage level your wage equals or exceeds there, and your valid passport details.
• The lowest level wins. If several employers register you, USCIS assigns the lowest level among them. DHS's example: a Level I and a Level IV registration for one person count as Level I.
• Multiple sites or a range. A multi-site role is registered at the lowest location level; a salary range by its lowest figure.
• Non-OEWS wage sources. A wage below OEWS Level I, based on another legitimate wage source, is registered as Level I.
• The level is locked in. The petition must match the registration's SOC code and identifying information and pay at least the prevailing wage for the registered level, with evidence as of the registration date. USCIS "may deny or revoke" a petition that does not, and can do the same to a later new or amended petition it finds is an attempt to unfairly cut the wage to a lower level.

Your SOC code drives all of this; read our guide to how your SOC code sets your H-1B wage level before you talk to HR, and check the four levels yourself on DOL's OFLC Wage Search.

What odds did DHS project for each wage level?

DHS projected roughly 15% for Level I and 61% for Level IV, against about 30% for everyone under a purely random draw. These are estimates made before any weighted lottery ran, not FY2027 results.

DHS's projected chance of selection per unique beneficiary (final rule, 90 FR 60864, Table 13; a projection, not observed results)

DHS modelled the two draws as one pooled draw and assumed "companies will keep their current wage rates." Real FY2028 odds depend on how many registrants land at each level. The last published counts are FY2026, under the old random draw: 358,737 registrations, 343,981 eligible, 120,141 selected; no USCIS page gives FY2027 totals. On why the rule drew no court challenge, see our analysis of why nobody sued over the weighted lottery.

What changed from the old lottery?

FY2026 random draw vs the weighted draw, and what to do for FY2028 (as of 2026-11)

How much is the H-1B registration fee?

USCIS charged $215 per registration for FY2027, and the current fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/26/26) shows the same amount. The FY2028 fee is not confirmed. The employer pays: USCIS says "Registrants need an organizational account to submit registrations."

Only if you are selected does the employer file Form I-129: $780 paper or $730 online for H-1B, plus the Asylum Program, fraud and ACWIA fees on the G-1055. DHS has also proposed a $103,265 fee for certain cap-subject petitions (NPRM); comments closed 2026-09-24 and no final rule exists.

Will the $100,000 fee apply if you're selected while on OPT?

As of November 1, 2026, the $100,000 payment is not being collected. Courts blocked the agency policies that implement it, and both rulings are on appeal. Even if collection resumed, the USCIS H-1B page (dated 2026-09-21) says the proclamation does not apply to a change of status USCIS grants to someone inside the US, the usual OPT-to-H-1B route. It would apply to a petition requesting consular notification, or to a change of status USCIS finds you ineligible for, for example because you left the US before it was decided.

The Form I-129 page (updated 2026-10-30) adds: "If this order is later lifted, DHS still plans to collect the payment." Our reading: FY2028 petitions filed from April 2027 fall inside the proclamation's term, which runs until September 21, 2027, so ask your employer's immigration attorney, and your DSO, before choosing consular processing or travelling while the petition is pending.

Next court dates: the states' brief in California v. Mullin (1st Cir. No. 26-1699) is due 2026-11-04 (docket), and the opening brief in Global Nurse Force v. Trump (9th Cir. No. 26-6667) is due 2026-11-06. More in our explainer on whether the $100K fee applies to OPT students.

How does cap-gap work if you're selected for FY2028?

If your employer files a timely cap-subject petition requesting a change of status while your OPT is still valid, your F-1 status and OPT work authorization continue past your EAD end date until the approved start date, normally October 1, 2027, or, while USCIS is still deciding, up to April 1, 2028. Cap-exempt petitions get no cap-gap.

The USCIS cap-gap page adds two points people miss: a petition filed during the 60-day grace period still extends status, but "F-1 students who have entered the 60-day grace period are not authorized to work." Cap-gap ends if the petition is denied, withdrawn, revoked or rejected, or the change of status is denied or withdrawn. Your DSO issues the updated I-20. Full mechanics: our H-1B cap-gap extension guide.

Worked example: OPT that ends May 31, 2027

Say your OPT EAD runs June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027, with no STEM extension available.

• March 2027 (expected): your employer registers you.
• April 1 to May 31, 2027: a change-of-status petition filed in this window carries your work authorization past May 31.
• June 1 to July 30, 2027 (grace period): a petition filed in this window still extends F-1 status, but you cannot work until H-1B starts.
• October 1, 2027: H-1B begins if the change of status is approved; if still pending, cap-gap runs up to April 1, 2028.
• Not selected: OPT ends May 31 and, under current rules, the 60-day F-1 grace period follows. The duration-of-status rule has been blocked by a federal court since 2026-09-14 (summary judgment briefed; DHS's appeal pending), so recheck with your DSO in spring. See work visa options if you are not selected.

With a STEM degree, a STEM OPT application filed before your EAD expires can add time and later lottery attempts (USCIS still describes a 180-day automatic extension for timely filers). Your own EAD and I-20 govern; confirm dates with your DSO.

How to prepare for FY2028 registration, November to February

1. November: confirm with HR that the company will register you for FY2028, and whether in-house staff or an outside immigration attorney handles it.
2. December: ask which SOC code and work location the registration will use, then look up the OEWS levels on the OFLC Wage Search.
3. Passport, now: the registration needs your valid passport details, and the petition must show the passport used at registration. USCIS may accept a renewal in its discretion, so if yours expires soon, tell the attorney before registration.
4. January: tell the attorney whether you hold a US master's or higher, and whether another employer may register you.
5. January: ask your DSO how cap-gap fits your EAD end date and, if STEM-eligible, when your STEM OPT Form I-765 is due.
6. All winter: watch the USCIS H-1B Electronic Registration Process page for the announcement.
7. March: confirm the registration was submitted and when the employer will tell you the result.

What could still change before March 2027?

None of these is law today:

• "Reforming the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program" (RIN 1615-AD00), under OIRA review since 2026-08-24. The agenda abstract mentions "revising eligibility for cap exemptions, providing greater scrutiny for employers that have violated program requirements, and increasing oversight over third party placements." No text is public.
• DOL's prevailing-wage rule (RIN 1205-AC30), proposed 2026-03-27. It would move Level I from the 17th to the 34th percentile and Level IV from the 67th to the 88th; no final rule exists. Our reading: if finalized, each weighted level would need a higher salary.
• The $103,265 fee (RIN 1615-AD20), proposed, covered in the fee section above.

Common mistakes

• Treating March 2027 as announced. Only a USCIS announcement, at least 30 days ahead, sets the dates.
• Assuming you can register yourself. The employer registers, and "a valid registration must represent a bona fide job offer."
• Ignoring a second registration. A low-level registration from another employer pulls you to that level.
• Renewing your passport without telling the attorney. The petition must match the registration.
• Treating selection as approval. Selection only lets your employer file; USCIS still decides the I-129 and the change of status.
• Assuming cap-gap covers a cap-exempt job or ends September 30. It covers cap-subject petitions only, up to April 1.
• Calling the $100,000 fee gone. It is blocked, not gone; DHS says it would collect if the orders are lifted.

Frequently asked questions

When is the H-1B lottery in 2027?

USCIS has not announced it as of November 1, 2026. Based on prior cycles, FY2028 registration is expected in March 2027; the FY2027 window ran March 4 to 19, 2026, with selection notices targeted by March 31. USCIS must announce the opening at least 30 calendar days ahead.

Has USCIS announced FY2028 H-1B registration dates?

No. As of November 1, 2026, the USCIS H-1B Electronic Registration Process page (updated September 21, 2026) still shows the FY2027 dates and fee. USCIS must announce the start at least 30 calendar days in advance and keep the window open at least 14 days.

How does the wage-weighted H-1B selection work?

Since February 27, 2026, USCIS enters each unique beneficiary into the draw one to four times (Level I once, Level IV four times), based on the highest OEWS wage level the offered wage equals or exceeds for the job's SOC code and location. Several registrations for one person count at the lowest level among them. The rule is in effect, with no amendment or lawsuit found.

How much is the H-1B registration fee?

USCIS charged $215 per registration for the FY2027 cap, paid by the employer through a USCIS organizational account. The FY2028 amount is not confirmed as of November 1, 2026. Petition filing fees come later, and only if you are selected.

Will the $100,000 fee apply if I'm selected while on OPT?

As of November 1, 2026, the $100,000 payment is not being collected, because courts blocked the agency policies that implement Proclamation 11069; both rulings are on appeal. Even if collection resumed, USCIS says a change of status it grants inside the US is not covered, while a consular-notification petition, or a change of status USCIS finds you ineligible for (for example after you leave the US), would be.

Sources

• USCIS, H-1B Electronic Registration Process (updated 2026-09-21)
• DHS, weighted selection final rule, 90 FR 60864 (govinfo text)
• USCIS, cap-gap extension and STEM OPT
• USCIS, H-1B Specialty Occupations (dated 2026-09-21), Form I-129 (updated 2026-10-30) and G-1055 fee schedule
• Proclamation 11069 and the California v. Mullin docket
• Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions NPRM, DOL prevailing-wage NPRM, RIN 1615-AD00
• DOL, OFLC Wage Search
• Mintz, FY2027 cap reached, no second selection (2026-07-20)

How we checked this: on November 1, 2026 we read the USCIS registration, H-1B, cap-gap, STEM OPT, I-129 and G-1055 pages, the weighted-selection rule's regulatory text and Table 13 discussion, the Federal Register entries for each proposal, and the court dockets.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice; your own EAD, I-20 and USCIS notices, and your DSO or immigration attorney, govern your situation.

If you are on OPT or STEM OPT and want the FY2028 season to start with an employer that is ready to register you, F1Jobs helps international candidates run a focused search for H-1B sponsors.