2025 (FY26) H-1B Cap Season Opens March 7th

On February 5, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that the 2025 H-1B cap season opens at noon ET on March 7th and ends at noon ET on March 24th. It is only during this period of time that registrations for the H-1B lottery can be submitted by employers hoping to obtain H-1B visa status for current or prospective employees who have not previously been counted under the regulatory cap.  We encourage our clients to begin preparing now, especially as these nonimmigrant workers may have multiple employment offers to choose from this year. 

As a reminder, there are a limited number of H-1B visas available each fiscal year under federal regulation, with each year’s quota becoming available April 1 for employment commencing October 1. Every year, the number of registrations greatly outnumbers the number of cap-subject H-1B visas available—and it is highly unlikely that this year will be any different.

Basic information on the process for those who are new to H-1B cap season (or a refresher for cap veterans) includes: 

• Employers must submit an electronic registration for each prospective H-1B candidate.
• Registrations may be submitted between noon ET on March 7, 2025 and noon ET on March 24, 2025.
• Prior to registration, employers must create an account in the USCIS portal (if an employer already has an account, they do not need a new account).
• No priority is given to registrations submitted at the beginning of the registration period versus those at the end.
• NEW THIS YEAR: All registrations require a $215 non-refundable registration fee.
• Following the close of the registration period, USCIS conducts a random lottery, generally during the last week of March.
• Petitioners whose registrations are selected in the lottery will be invited to file full H-1B petitions in the 90-day period beginning April 1.

If you are interested in sponsoring H-1B nonimmigrant visa status for a current or future employee, do not delay in preparing as the registration period will be here (and gone) before you know it.