H-1B FY2026 registration & selection: the real USCIS numbers
Published 2026-09-10 · Sources: USCIS — H-1B Specialty Occupations, USCIS Fee Schedule
Photo: 2H Media via UnsplashThe H-1B is the main U.S. work visa for specialty occupations, and it is also one of the most oversubscribed. Every year far more people want one than the law allows, so most years USCIS runs a random selection — the “H-1B lottery.” Here are the actual numbers behind the FY2026 cycle, drawn from USCIS publications.
The 85,000 cap, split two ways
Congress set the annual H-1B cap at 85,000. It breaks into two pools:
- 65,000 — the regular cap, open to all eligible beneficiaries.
- 20,000 — the advanced-degree exemption, reserved for people holding a U.S. master’s degree or higher. If they are not selected in this 20,000 pool, they roll into the regular 65,000 pool.
Some petitions are cap-exempt — mostly those filed by universities, nonprofits, and research institutions — and they do not count against the 85,000.
The $215 registration fee
Since the FY2025 cycle, employers submit an electronic registration for each beneficiary and pay a flat $215 registration fee (per the USCIS fee rule in effect for FY2025 and FY2026 registrations). This replaced the old $10 fee and is paid only at registration. If a beneficiary is selected, the employer then files the full H-1B petition (Form I-129) with the petition and training fees — a much larger cost that comes later, not at registration.
How selection actually works
USCIS runs a random, beneficiary-centric selection. The key change: each unique beneficiary is entered only once no matter how many different employers register them. Before this rule, one person could appear in dozens of registrations, inflating totals and diluting genuine odds. After the change, duplicate registrations collapsed and the published counts reflect real people.
USCIS conducts the random draw until enough registrations are selected to meet the 85,000 cap (with a small reserve set aside). Selection is not first-come, first-served — it is a lottery among valid registrations.
FY2026 by the numbers
| Metric | FY2026 figure (USCIS) |
|---|---|
| Annual cap | 85,000 (65,000 + 20,000 advanced-degree) |
| Registration fee | $215 per beneficiary |
| Total registrations | ~358,000 |
| Unique beneficiaries | ~343,000 |
| Selection rate | ≈ 1 in 3 registrations |
Figures per USCIS FY2026 registration releases. Exact registration counts are published by USCIS each cycle; treat the selection-rate figure as an approximation derived from those counts.
The approximate timeline
The cycle generally runs: electronic registrations open in early March, the selection (if needed) happens in March, and selected beneficiaries’ employers file the H-1B petition shortly after. Approved petitions typically become effective at the start of the fiscal year on October 1. Dates shift slightly year to year, so confirm the current window on the USCIS H-1B page.
What actually improves the odds
There is no way to “buy” a better lottery number, but structure helps: a U.S. master’s or higher degree puts you in the 20,000 advanced-degree pool and the regular pool. Working with a cap-exempt employer (university, nonprofit, research institution) removes the cap entirely. Multiple unrelated job offers do not multiply your chances under the beneficiary-centric rule — only one entry counts per person.
This is general information from published USCIS data, not legal advice. H-1B rules, fees, and timelines change; confirm current details with USCIS or a licensed immigration attorney before relying on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the H-1B cap?
Each fiscal year, USCIS makes 85,000 new H-1B visas available: 65,000 in the regular pool and 20,000 reserved for people with a U.S. master's degree or higher. That 85,000 is the statutory annual cap Congress set, and demand has far exceeded it every year.
How much does H-1B registration cost?
The electronic registration fee is $215 per beneficiary (set by the USCIS fee rule in effect for the FY2025 and FY2026 registrations). An employer or agent pays it when they submit a registration; if the beneficiary is not selected, that is the only fee paid at that stage.
How are H-1B selections made?
USCIS uses a random, beneficiary-centric selection. Since the FY2025 cycle each unique beneficiary is entered once regardless of how many employers register them, which cut duplicate filings dramatically. USCIS runs the random draw until enough registrations are selected to meet the 85,000 cap (plus a small reserve).
What were the FY2026 numbers?
USCIS reported roughly 358,000 registrations for FY2026 (about 343,000 unique beneficiaries) and selected enough to fill the 85,000 cap plus the advanced-degree reserve. That puts the selection rate around 1 in 3 registrations — far better than the 1-in-7 of the high-duplication years before the rule change.