FY2025 H-1B Cap Season Begins March 6, 2024
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the FY2025 H-1B cap initial registration period will begin on March 6, 2024 at noon ET and run through noon ET on March 22, 2024. The H-1B registration period is the only time during the year that non-cap exempt employers can apply to hire potential H-1B beneficiaries. The registration fee for the FY2025 registration period will remain a nonrefundable $10 per registration. As in previous years, USCIS is expected to announce lottery results on or before March 31, 2024.
Additionally, USCIS provided information on a couple final changes to this year’s selection process, including the creation of a beneficiary-centric selection process and the launch of organizational accounts and online filing for forms I-129 and I-907.
Beneficiary-Centric Selection Process
On February 2, 2024, USCIS released a final rule addressing its goal to improve the H-1B registration selection process. This rule creates a beneficiary-centric selection process, meaning that registrations will be selected by unique beneficiary instead of by registration. Registrants will have to provide the intended beneficiary’s valid passport information, and this passport must be the one that the beneficiary intends to use to enter the United States. Each beneficiary must only be registered under one passport or travel document. The intended result is that each beneficiary will only have one registration, regardless of the number of individual registrations submitted by separate employing entities. This process is intended to reduce fraud and promote equal chances for selection. It will be effective for the FY2025 registration period.
Organizational Accounts and Online Filing
On February 28, 2024, USCIS will launch online filing of H-1B applications (Form I-129 and any related I-907) through the USCIS online account. Petitioners will also still have the option to file paper H-1B applications with USCIS. USCIS will begin accepting H-1B filings for petitioners with registrations that have been selected in the lottery on April 1, 2024.
Petitioners will be able to prepare online filings through new organizational accounts in the USCIS online account, which USCIS will also launch on February 28, 2024. These accounts will allow multiple people within an organization and their legal representatives to collaborate on the preparation of H-1B related registrations and applications. During the launch, papers filers will be unable to link their Form I-129 and I-907 to their online accounts.
Upcoming Webinar
H-1B Visa Immigration for Talent Acquisition
Wednesday, February 14 at 12pm EST
Join Immigration attorneys Kevin Battle Jr. and Ewelina Sawicka on Wednesday, February 14 at 12pm for a complimentary half-hour webinar presentation on the H-1B registration and filing process. Register here.
*Updated on February 15, 2024: watch recording here.