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Annual Caps for H-1B for Fiscal Years: 85,000 visas
- 65,000 visas
- 20,000 visas for the master’s cap*
The master’s cap – individuals with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.
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How to Prepare for the FY 2028 H-1B Registration Process
A practical U.S. employer and beneficiary checklist for preparing for the FY 2028 H-1B registration process, including account setup, wage planning, documents, deadlines, and common mistakes.
The FY 2028 H-1B registration period is expected to take place in March 2027. Employers and prospective H-1B workers should begin preparing well before the short registration window opens.
This article explains what employers, immigration attorneys, HR teams, and beneficiaries can do now to prepare for the FY 2028 H-1B registration process.
Important: FY 2028 dates and requirements are not yet final. USCIS may change the registration window, fee, account procedures, selection rules, or filing requirements. Always verify the final instructions on the official USCIS H-1B registration page.
FY 2028 Preparation at a Glance
- Confirm whether the position is cap-subject
- Set up and verify the petitioner’s USCIS account
- Review the job, wage level, worksite, and beneficiary information
- Prepare passport, degree, and immigration documents
- Submit only after verifying payment and registration status
- If selected, prepare the full H-1B petition during the USCIS filing window
When Will FY 2028 H-1B Registration Open?
The FY 2027 registration period ran from March 4 through March 19, 2026. Based on the usual H-1B schedule, the FY 2028 registration period is expected to occur in March 2027.
However, USCIS has not announced the official FY 2028 dates.
The registration process normally includes:
| Stage | Expected Timing |
|---|---|
| Initial registration period | March 2027, exact dates not announced |
| Selection notifications | Usually issued after the registration period closes |
| H-1B petition filing window | Begins after selection |
| Earliest employment start date | Generally October 1, 2027 |
These are planning estimates, not confirmed deadlines.
Who Needs to Register?
The electronic registration process generally applies to employers seeking to file cap-subject H-1B petitions, including:
- New H-1B workers subject to the regular cap
- Beneficiaries eligible for the U.S. advanced-degree exemption
- Many F-1 students seeking a change of status to H-1B
- Workers who have never previously been counted against the H-1B cap
Employers generally do not register workers who are already eligible for:
- H-1B extensions
- H-1B transfers
- H-1B amendments
- Cap-exempt H-1B employment
- Certain previously counted H-1B workers
Whether registration is required depends on the worker’s immigration history and the petitioner’s eligibility. The cap-subject versus cap-exempt decision article can help with initial planning, but each case should be reviewed with a qualified immigration attorney.
U.S. Employer Preparation Checklist
1. Create or verify the USCIS online account
Employers must use a USCIS online account or work with an authorized attorney or representative.
Before the registration period:
- Confirm that the company has the correct USCIS organizational account
- Verify the account administrator and authorized users
- Confirm that the attorney or representative is connected to the correct company
- Review account access for HR, legal, and immigration personnel
- Make sure multiple users understand who is responsible for final submission
- Test the account before the registration window opens
Do not wait until the registration period begins to create an organizational account.
USCIS organizational accounts allow companies and representatives to collaborate on H-1B registrations and related filings. However, account access and user permissions should be reviewed carefully before sensitive beneficiary information is entered.
2. Confirm that the job qualifies as a specialty occupation
An H-1B position generally must require the theoretical and practical application of specialized knowledge and normally require at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a directly related specialty.
Review whether:
- The position requires a specific degree field
- The job duties are sufficiently specialized
- The minimum education requirement is consistent with the occupation
- The offered position is genuinely available
- The job description matches the actual work
- The worksite and employment arrangement are clearly documented
Avoid using a generic job description that does not accurately describe the position.
3. Start wage planning early
Under the weighted selection framework introduced for FY 2027, wage level information may affect the probability of selection. The current system generally gives more selection entries to higher wage levels while preserving an opportunity for registrations at all wage levels. The framework may change before FY 2028; review the H-1B wage-based selection rules for context.
The wage level is not determined only by the salary number. Employers must consider:
- The occupation and SOC code
- The work location
- The prevailing wage data
- The offered salary
- The position’s duties and requirements
- The employee’s experience and qualifications
- The wage level selected for registration
A higher salary does not automatically create a higher wage level if the occupation, location, or classification is incorrect.
Coordinate early with HR, finance, recruiting, and immigration counsel. The wage and job information used during registration should be supportable if the registration is selected and a full petition is later filed.
4. Collect beneficiary information
Begin collecting and checking beneficiary information months before registration.
Typical information includes:
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Country of birth
- Country of citizenship
- Passport number
- Passport issuing country
- Passport expiration date
- Current immigration status
- Current U.S. address, if applicable
- Foreign address, if applicable
- Highest educational degree
- U.S. degree information
- Current employer and job details
- Whether the beneficiary is seeking change of status or consular processing
Names and passport information must be entered carefully. A typo, incorrect passport number, or mismatch with supporting documents can create problems later.
5. Confirm degree and credential details
For each beneficiary, verify:
- Degree title
- Field of study
- School name
- Graduation date
- Country where the degree was earned
- Whether the degree is from a U.S. institution
- Whether a foreign degree evaluation may be needed
- Whether the degree relates to the proposed position
Do not assume that any bachelor’s degree qualifies for every H-1B position. The degree field should generally relate to the specialty occupation.
6. Establish a duplicate-registration control process
A prospective petitioner generally may submit only one registration for the same beneficiary in a fiscal year.
Create an internal process to prevent:
- Duplicate registrations by different HR teams
- Duplicate submissions by an employer and its attorney
- Duplicate entries caused by spelling differences
- Multiple registrations submitted through separate company accounts
- Conflicting information across related entities
Multiple employers may independently register the same beneficiary. However, a single petitioner and its related entities should carefully review whether separate registrations are legitimate and supported by a genuine business need.
7. Prepare a payment process
The registration fee is paid electronically during submission. The FY 2027 fee was $215 per registration, but the FY 2028 fee has not yet been confirmed.
Before registration opens:
- Confirm the company’s payment method
- Check credit-card or bank transaction limits
- Confirm that payment can be processed through the USCIS payment system
- Assign responsibility for payment reconciliation
- Save payment confirmations and submission records
- Review each registration status after payment
A registration is not safely complete merely because someone entered the beneficiary information. Verify that the registration was submitted and that the payment was accepted.
Beneficiary Preparation Checklist
Beneficiaries should also prepare in advance, even though the employer or authorized representative submits the registration.
Confirm your immigration history
Gather copies of:
- Passport biographical page
- Current visa
- Form I-94
- Previous Forms I-797
- Employment authorization documents, if applicable
- Prior immigration filings
- Current status documents
- Previous H-1B approval notices, if any
If you are an F-1 student, review:
- Form I-20
- Employment authorization documentation
- Optional Practical Training dates
- STEM OPT dates, if applicable
- Cap-gap eligibility
- Expected program completion date
See the F-1 to H-1B transition guide.
Review your resume and employment history
Make sure your resume, immigration records, degree documents, and proposed H-1B position are consistent.
Pay particular attention to:
- Employer names
- Employment dates
- Job titles
- Degree information
- Work locations
- Periods of unemployment
- Previous U.S. employment
- Current immigration status
Differences do not always cause a problem, but unexplained inconsistencies should be identified early.
Confirm travel plans
Beneficiaries should discuss international travel with their immigration attorney before traveling during important status periods. In particular, F-1 students should understand how travel can affect a change-of-status request and cap-gap planning.
Travel may affect:
- Change-of-status requests
- F-1 cap-gap benefits
- Visa stamping
- Consular processing
- Admission to the United States
- Timing of the H-1B petition
What Happens After Selection?
Selection does not equal H-1B approval. It only allows the selected petitioner to file a cap-subject H-1B petition during the filing period listed in the selection notice.
After selection, the selected petitioner generally must prepare:
- Form I-129
- Certified Labor Condition Application
- Detailed job description
- Employer support letter
- Evidence of the employer’s business
- Beneficiary’s degree evidence
- Credential evaluation, if needed
- Passport and immigration documents
- Evidence supporting the offered wage
- Evidence supporting the specialty occupation
- Status-maintenance documents, when applicable
The information submitted during registration should match the later petition. Major changes in the employer, job, location, wage, or beneficiary information may require additional analysis.
Common FY 2028 Preparation Mistakes
Avoid These Issues
Employers and beneficiaries should avoid these common problems:
- Waiting until March to create a USCIS account
- Using an incorrect passport number
- Entering a nickname instead of the legal name
- Registering the same beneficiary twice through one employer
- Choosing a wage level without verifying the SOC code and location
- Using a generic job description
- Ignoring the beneficiary’s immigration history
- Forgetting to confirm payment
- Assuming selection guarantees approval
- Assuming registration creates work authorization
- Failing to preserve submission records
- Treating expected FY 2028 dates as official deadlines
Suggested Preparation Timeline
| Period | Preparation Checklist |
|---|---|
| Sep 2026 - Nov 2026 | Identify likely FY 2028 candidates. Review cap-subject eligibility. Create or verify USCIS organizational accounts. Begin collecting passports and immigration documents. Review potential job positions and work locations. |
| Dec 2026 - Jan 2027 | Confirm specialty-occupation requirements. Review SOC codes and wage data. Coordinate with HR, finance, recruiting, and immigration counsel. Resolve duplicate-registration risks. Confirm payment procedures. |
| Feb 2027 | Recheck USCIS guidance. Confirm the official registration dates and fee. Finalize beneficiary information. Review the wage and job details. Complete internal approval procedures. |
| Mar 2027 | Submit registrations during the official USCIS window. Verify payment and submission status. Save confirmation records. Monitor the USCIS account for selection notifications. |
Final Checklist
Before the FY 2028 registration period opens, confirm that:
- The company has a functioning USCIS organizational account.
- Authorized users and representatives have correct access.
- The job qualifies as a specialty occupation.
- The SOC code and work location are accurate.
- Wage information has been reviewed.
- Beneficiary passport details are correct and valid.
- Degree and immigration documents have been collected.
- Duplicate registrations have been ruled out.
- The payment method is ready.
- The company has assigned responsibility for submission.
- The latest USCIS instructions have been reviewed.
The strongest preparation happens before the registration window opens. Treat registration as the first stage of a potential H-1B petition, not as a simple online form.
The FY 2028 registration dates, fee, and selection procedures may change. Before submitting anything, confirm the current requirements directly with USCIS and consult an immigration attorney when the case involves unusual facts, status concerns, prior immigration violations, or complex employer relationships.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. H-1B fees, registration dates, selection rules, filing requirements, and government procedures can change. Always verify current information with USCIS or a qualified immigration attorney.