The friendly H-1B playbook updated July 2026

The H-1B, explained like a human.

The H-1B brings skilled workers to U.S. jobs — and its rules were just rewritten. This playbook walks the whole route in plain English: seven plays, a lottery that now rewards higher pay, and the official data behind all of it. No jargon, no fear, no fine-print surprises.

Run my eligibility check or read the playbook first
Regular cap
65,000
Master’s cap
20,000
Work starts
Oct 1

Pick one — the playbook reshapes itself around your route.

01 The playbook

Seven plays, start to stamp

Every H-1B follows the same route. Tap any play for the coaching version — who does what, how long it takes, where people trip, and who pays.

  1. Play 01 · The offer Land a specialty-occupation job offer Everything starts with a real U.S. job that genuinely needs a degree.
    Who does what
    You find and win the role; the employer agrees to sponsor you. The H-1B is employer-driven — no offer, no petition, no exceptions.
    Typical timing
    Ideally November through February, ahead of the March registration window.
    Common fumbles
    The job title sounds professional but the duties don’t actually require a degree. USCIS tests the role, not the title. Also: anyone who offers to “sell” you a sponsoring job is a red flag, not a shortcut.
    Who pays
    Nothing to the government at this stage. Job hunting is free.
  2. Play 02 · Registration Get registered during the March window A short online form puts you in the pool — miss it and you wait a year.
    Who does what
    Your employer (or their attorney) creates a USCIS online account and registers you: your name and passport details, plus — new under the weighted rules — the job’s SOC code, wage level, and work location.
    Typical timing
    About two and a half weeks in March. For FY2027 the window ran March 4–19, 2026.
    Common fumbles
    Missing the window costs a full year. Typos in your name or passport number can sink a selection. And the SOC code, wage level, and location registered in March must stay consistent through the LCA and the petition — consistency is now mandatory.
    Who pays
    A small registration fee — $10 per registrant for FY2027. Always confirm the current amount with USCIS.
  3. Play 03 · The draw Survive the selection — now weighted by wage level Higher pay buys more entries. Random luck is no longer the whole story.
    Who does what
    USCIS runs the draw. Your registration enters the pool once, twice, three, or four times depending on the offered job’s OEWS wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level II gets 2, Level III gets 3, Level IV gets 4.
    Typical timing
    Results land at the end of March. For FY2027: about 211,600 registrants, selections completed March 31, 2026.
    Common fumbles
    Assuming the lottery is still purely random — it isn’t. Also forgetting the bonus lane: a master’s-or-higher degree from a U.S. school gets a second look through the 20,000 master’s cap.
    Who pays
    Nothing extra — being selected costs nothing by itself.

    Watch the weighted machine work

  4. Play 04 · The filings LCA with Labor, then the I-129 with USCIS Two agencies, two filings, one promise: pay the prevailing wage.
    Who does what
    The employer first files the LCA (Labor Condition Application) with the Department of Labor — a certified promise to pay the prevailing wage and offer fair working conditions. Then comes Form I-129, the actual visa petition, with USCIS.
    Typical timing
    The LCA takes about 7 business days. The I-129 window opens April 1; standard processing runs months, premium processing answers in 15 business days.
    Common fumbles
    The SOC code, wage level, and work location must match what was registered in March — mismatches invite an RFE (a request for more evidence). A wage below the prevailing level for the area is an instant problem.
    Who pays
    The employer, by law. The ACWIA and fraud-prevention fees can never be passed on to you.
  5. Play 05 · Approval Get the approval notice Form I-797 in hand — but approval is not the visa stamp.
    Who does what
    USCIS approves the petition and issues Form I-797, the Notice of Action. If you’re already in the U.S., your change of status is part of this same approval.
    Typical timing
    Weeks with premium processing, several months on standard. RFEs pause the clock while you respond.
    Common fumbles
    Treating approval as the finish line. If you’re abroad, you still need the embassy stamp before you can enter and work.
    Who pays
    Nothing new — the filing fees were paid up front.
  6. Play 06 · Status or stamp Change of status in the U.S. — or consular stamping abroad Two doors out of the same approval. Yours depends on where you stand.
    Who does what
    In the U.S. on F-1 or OPT? Your status switches to H-1B automatically when the approval takes effect — no embassy trip. Abroad? You file the DS-160 online, book an embassy interview, and get the H-1B stamp in your passport.
    Typical timing
    Embassy wait times swing from days to months by post — book the moment approval lands. Summer is the crunch.
    Common fumbles
    The $100,000 proclamation fee currently reaches new petitions that require consular processing — and it is moving through the courts. Check USCIS before anyone writes a check. Also budget for “administrative processing,” which can add weeks after the interview.
    Who pays
    The DS-160 fee and travel are typically yours; the petition fees remain the employer’s.
  7. Play 07 · Day one Start work on October 1 The fiscal year begins, your status activates, and payroll starts.
    Who does what
    You start the job; the employer verifies your work authorization (Form I-9) and begins paying the offered wage.
    Typical timing
    October 1 is the earliest a cap-subject H-1B activates — the start of the government’s fiscal year.
    Common fumbles
    Starting early is a status violation, not a favor. F-1 students: cap-gap automatically extends your expiring OPT through September 30 if your petition was filed on time — don’t quit your OPT job early or travel without advice.
    Who pays
    Payroll begins. From day one, the employer must pay the wage promised on the LCA.

The ground rules

Six facts that shape every H-1B story.

  • 85,000 slots each fiscal year

    65,000 in the regular cap, plus 20,000 set aside for U.S. master’s-or-higher degrees — which also get a second look in the draw.

  • 3 + 3 years, then more

    Three years at first, extendable to six. With a green-card process underway, you can keep extending beyond six.

  • Dual intent built right in

    The H-1B lets you pursue permanent residence while on a temporary visa. Wanting a green card won’t sink your H-1B.

  • H-4 for your family

    Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can join on H-4 status. Some H-4 spouses can apply for work authorization.

  • Portability switch employers

    A new employer files a new petition, and you can generally start as soon as it’s received. You are not chained to one company.

  • Cap-exempt skip the lottery

    Universities, affiliated nonprofits, and government research institutions never play the lottery — they can file any time of year.

On your route

02 Rule watch · current as of July 2026

What changed recently

Four things moved the ground under the H-1B in the last year. One is live, one is numbers, one is in court, and one is still just a proposal. The marigold marks mean “still moving.”

Live DHS final rule · published December 29, 2025 · first used for FY2027

The lottery is now weighted by wage level

Registrations enter the selection pool once, twice, three, or four times depending on the offered job’s OEWS wage level — the government’s four pay rungs for an occupation. Level I gets 1 entry, Level II gets 2, Level III gets 3, Level IV gets 4. Higher pay, better odds.

Registration now requires the job’s SOC code (the government’s ID for the occupation), the wage level, and the work location — and all three must stay consistent through the LCA and the petition.

See it as a machine, below

Live FY2027 season · completed

FY2027 by the numbers

Registration ran March 4–19, 2026, and selections were completed March 31, 2026. The pool got noticeably smaller — the first season under weighting.

registrations entered
211,600
the year before
343,981
slots available
85,000
In court Proclamation · September 2025, still being litigated

The $100,000 fee is in court

A September 2025 presidential proclamation demanded $100,000 alongside new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025 that require consular processing — not extensions, amendments, or changes of status. It was due to expire September 21, 2026.

A federal court struck it down on June 8, 2026; a stay put it back in force around June 12, 2026 while the appeal proceeds.

The straight version: it is currently being collected, it could change again, and anyone near filing should check USCIS first.

Proposed Department of Labor · March 2026 · not yet law

A wage-level raise is on the table

In March 2026 the Department of Labor proposed moving the four prevailing wage levels from the 17th / 34th / 50th / 67th percentiles of OEWS wages to the 34th / 52nd / 70th / 88th. If it lands, “prevailing wage” gets meaningfully more expensive at every rung.

This is a proposal, not law — watch the Department of Labor, not the rumor mill.

On your route

03 The machine

The weighted selection, as a machine

Since the FY2027 draw, your registration enters the pool once per wage level — Level I once, Level IV four times. Pick the level on your offer and watch the entries drop.

Offered wage level

Pick a wage level to see how the draw is weighted.

Entries per registrant under the FY2027-style rules. Weighting tilts the draw toward higher-paid roles — it never promises a win.

On your route

04 Your move

Run your eligibility check

Six questions, about a minute. The playbook reshapes around your answers, and your result lives in the URL — bookmark it or send it to a friend.

This is general information, not legal advice. A qualified immigration attorney handles cases like yours.

On your route

05 The bill

What it costs — and who pays

The typical employer-paid stack for one cap-subject H-1B petition. Amounts as of July 2026; USCIS is the source of truth for current fees.

  • Form I-129 base fee The main petition itself Employer $460
  • Fraud prevention & detection Cannot be passed to the worker Employer $500
  • ACWIA training fee Cannot be passed to the worker Employer $750 or $1,500By employer size — 25 or fewer employees pay the lower fee
  • Asylum program fee Employer $600 or $300$300 for employers with 25 or fewer employees
  • Premium processing Optional — a 15-business-day answer Whoever asks $2,805
  • Registration fee The March window entry ticket Employer $10
  • $100,000 proclamation fee Only new petitions needing consular processing — not extensions, amendments, or changes of status Petitioner $100,000In court
On your route

06 The season

One year, three dates that matter

The H-1B runs on the government’s fiscal calendar. Scroll the strip — everything bends around March, April 1, and October 1.

  1. JanOffers & prep
  2. FebOffers & prep
  3. MarRegistration windowMar 4–19Selections Mar 31
  4. AprFiling opensApril 1Petitions roll in
  5. MayApprovals & RFEs
  6. JunCap-gap active
  7. JulCap-gap active
  8. AugEmbassy season
  9. SepLast cap-gap month
  10. OctH-1B startsOctober 1Day one
  11. NovNext cycle warms up
  12. DecNext cycle warms up

Cap-gap: F-1 students whose OPT is expiring keep working through the summer if their H-1B petition was filed on time — an automatic bridge to October 1.

On your route

07 The receipts

See the receipts

Every number on this page traces back to a public file you can open yourself. These are the official sources — publisher, contents, cadence, and the direct link.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

H-1B Employer Data Hub

Approved H-1B petitions by employer — searchable by company name and fiscal year. The fastest way to see who actually sponsors.

Updated quarterly

Open the Data HubCSV downloads back to FY2009

Department of Labor · Office of Foreign Labor Certification

OFLC Performance Data

Program-level statistics for LCAs and permanent-labor filings — volumes, processing times, outcomes.

Updated quarterly

Open performance data

Department of Labor · Office of Foreign Labor Certification

LCA Disclosure Files

The raw microdata behind the stats: every certified LCA with employer, SOC code, offered wage, and work location. This is the file community sites are built on.

Quarterly disclosure files

Open disclosure files

Bureau of Labor Statistics

OEWS — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Wage percentiles by occupation and metro area. This survey sets the four wage levels that the weighted lottery now runs on.

Annual survey

Look up wages by occupation and metro

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

H-1B Electronic Registration Process

The official how-to for the March registration — accounts, fees, and what a registrant must submit.

Refreshed each season

Open the registration page

Federal Register · Department of Homeland Security

Weighted Selection Final Rule

The legal text behind the 1-to-4 entries: the December 29, 2025 final rule that replaced pure randomness with wage-level weighting.

Published December 29, 2025

Read the rule in the Federal Register

Community explorers like h1bdata.info are built on these public files — handy for browsing, but unofficial. Cite the source, not the mirror.

What one LCA disclosure row looks like Illustrative sample — shaped like real OFLC data, not a real company’s filing.
CASE_NUMBERI-200-26070-482913
VISA_CLASSH-1B
EMPLOYER_NAMEMeridian Health Analytics LLC
JOB_TITLEData Scientist
SOC_CODE115-2041.00 — Data Scientists
WAGE_OFFERED2$96,000 – $121,000 / year
WAGE_LEVELLevel II
WORK_LOCATION3Jersey City, NJ
TOTAL_WORKERS3
CASE_STATUS4CERTIFIED
  1. The SOC code ties the job to OEWS wage data — and now travels with the registration through the whole petition.
  2. The offered wage must meet or beat the prevailing wage for that level in that metro.
  3. The location must match what was registered in March and what appears on the I-129.
  4. CERTIFIED means the Department of Labor cleared the LCA — green light for the I-129.
On your route

08 The dictionary

Jargon, translated

Every term on this page in two plain sentences or fewer. Type to filter, tap to open. Press / anywhere to jump to the search.

17 terms
  • LCALabor Condition Application

    The form your employer files with the Department of Labor before the visa petition. It is a certified promise to pay you the prevailing wage and treat you like comparable U.S. workers.

  • Prevailing wageThe local going rate

    The typical pay for a job in a specific place, measured by government surveys. Your H-1B offer has to meet or beat it.

  • OEWSOccupational Employment and Wage Statistics

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of wages by occupation and area. It is the data that sets the four wage levels the weighted lottery now runs on.

  • SOC codeStandard Occupational Classification

    The government’s ID number for a type of job, like 15-2041.00 for Data Scientists. It links your role to the right wage data and must stay consistent from registration to petition.

  • Wage levels I–IVThe four pay rungs

    Four rungs of pay within an occupation, from entry-level (I) to expert (IV). Since FY2027, your level decides how many entries you get in the H-1B draw.

  • Cap-subject vs. cap-exemptLottery players vs. lottery skippers

    Cap-subject employers — most companies — compete for one of 85,000 lottery slots. Cap-exempt employers, like universities, affiliated nonprofits, and research institutions, skip the lottery and file any time of year.

  • Registration vs. selectionEntering the pool vs. being picked

    Registration is the short March form that puts you in the pool; selection is the draw that decides who may file. Only selected registrants get to submit the full petition.

  • Change of statusSwitching from inside the U.S.

    Moving to H-1B from another status without leaving the country, most often from F-1 or OPT. If approved, the switch takes effect automatically on October 1 — no embassy trip needed.

  • Consular processingThe embassy route

    Getting the H-1B stamp in your passport at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. It is the required route if you are outside the U.S. when your petition is approved.

  • Premium processingThe 15-day clock

    Pay $2,805 and USCIS answers your petition within 15 business days. It buys speed, not better odds.

  • RFERequest for Evidence

    USCIS pausing your case to ask for more proof before deciding. It is common, answerable, and not a denial.

  • Dual intentTwo plans at once

    The H-1B lets you pursue a green card while holding a temporary visa. Immigrant intent will not sink your H-1B — that permission is built in.

  • PortabilityChanging employers

    Moving to a new H-1B employer without going through the cap again. The new employer files a petition, and you can generally start as soon as it is received.

  • Cap-gapThe automatic bridge

    An automatic extension for F-1 students: if your H-1B petition is filed on time, your expiring OPT stretches to October 1. You keep working through the summer without a gap.

  • H-4For your family

    The status for an H-1B holder’s spouse and unmarried children under 21. Some H-4 spouses can apply for their own work authorization.

  • OPT / STEM OPTThe student runway

    Work permission for international students after graduation — 12 months of OPT, plus 24 more for STEM degrees. It is the runway most H-1B applicants launch from.

  • Petitioner vs. beneficiaryThe filer vs. the worker

    The petitioner is the employer who files the paperwork; the beneficiary is you, the worker. Only the petitioner can start the process.

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