H-1B visa 2027: Higher salaries, skilled roles get priority under new rules

USCIS has announced dates and fees for FY27 H-1B registration, with a weighted lottery that favours higher-paid, senior roles

The H-1B visa registration for the financial year 2027 will open on March 4 and close on March 19, according to an official notification issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services on Saturday.

 

The opening of the registration window sets the process in motion for US employers planning to hire foreign professionals. Selection notices are expected to be issued by March 31.

 

To submit a registration, employers or their authorised representatives must use a USCIS online account and pay a registration fee of $215 for each beneficiary. If a registration is selected and the employer proceeds to file the petition, a $100,000 H-1B fee will be mandatory as part of the filing process.

 

Registrations picked during the initial window will be informed by March 31, 2026. If selected, the sponsoring employer will then have a 90-day period to file the full H-1B petition.

 

“H-1B visa aspirants must know that the new weighted selection will favour higher-skilled and higher-paid workers,” said Murthy Law Firm in a blog post. The firm also advised applicants to begin preparations early, citing procedural complexity and limited filing capacity closer to deadlines.

 

Why the H-1B lottery looks different this year

 

For FY27, the H-1B lottery will not run as a flat, chance-based draw. The US has shifted to a weighted selection system that improves the odds for registrations linked to higher wages and senior roles.

 

Under the earlier system, every registration had identical chances. A graduate entering the workforce on an entry-level salary competed on equal footing with a senior professional earning several times more. The administration under Donald Trump argued that this encouraged wage suppression and weakened the “specialty occupation” requirement.

 

Immigration authorities say the revised approach connects selection more closely to labour-market demand by using wage data and skill indicators already part of the Labour Condition Application process.

 

How weighted selection works

 

Under the new framework, registrations are assigned different weights, mainly based on the wage level offered for the role.

 

As per the four wage tiers defined by the United States Department of Labor:

 

• Level IV roles, which carry the highest wages, receive the strongest weighting

• Level III roles receive high but lower weighting

• Level II roles receive moderate weighting

• Level I roles, usually entry-level positions, receive the weakest weighting

 

Put simply, a Level IV role may enter the selection pool multiple times compared to a Level I role, improving its chances of selection.

 

Who stands to benefit

 

The revised system works in favour of experienced professionals and employers recruiting for senior positions.

 

• Mid-career and senior technology professionals

• Roles in AI, data science, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and advanced engineering

• Employers offering salaries well above local prevailing wage levels

 

Indian professionals with deeper experience, specialised skills, and stronger US salary offers are better placed than under earlier lotteries.

 

Who faces tougher odds

 

The changes make the process harder for certain groups.

 

• Fresh graduates and early-career workers

• Positions benchmarked at Wage Level I or II

• Low-margin IT services and body-shopping models

 

Students moving directly from OPT into lower-paid roles may find the odds materially worse, even if they meet all eligibility requirements.

 

Indians continue to form the largest share of H-1B workers, accounting for about 70 per cent of recipients in 2024. Both the H-1B programme and F-1 student visas have also featured more frequently in recent political debates in the US, adding to uncertainty for future applicants.