Immigration Law Insights

Last week, USCIS announced the H-1B visa cap registration deadlines for FY2023. Registration is mandatory for employers wishing to sponsor a candidate for an H-1B visa in the FY2023 H-1B cap cycle. Registration is an annual electronic process through which USCIS receives registrations from employers for the H-1B lottery. USCIS has historically conducted a random H-1B lottery because more visas are requested each year than are available. Registrants are selected at random for an opportunity to fill one of the H-1B cap positions.

The H-1B cap registration period for Fiscal Year 2023 will open on March 1, 2022, at noon and close on March 18, 2022. To register, representatives should create a ‘myUSCIS’ online account. Accounts may be created as early as February 21, 2022, at noon. Beneficiary information may be added and the registration fee of ten dollars ($10.00) may be paid beginning March 1, 2022.

USCIS will notify account holders by March 31, 2022, if their registration has been selected in the lottery, assuming the H-1B category is oversubscribed. Those not selected will be placed on a waitlist. H-1B visas are generally available to foreign nationals that fill a role requiring at least a U.S. Bachelor’s degree in a specific specialty.