H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens on March 1

On Friday, January 27, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2024 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 1, 2023, and run through noon Eastern on March 17, 2023. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to complete and submit their registrations using USCIS online H-1B registration system. These H-1Bs will be for employment starting no earlier than October 1, 2023.

Registrations are made online after a $10 H-1B registration fee is paid. USCIS intends to notify selected registrants via their online portal by March 31, 2022. Selected applicants will be given 3 months to file an H1B application with USCIS.

Important to note that once in the past two years USCIS did not select enough registrations in their first (March) selection, and thus successive selections occurred in late summer and fall. However, all selections come from the same initial pool of applicants. This did not happen last year (there was only one March selection). We do not know if there will be more than one selection in 2023.

Each year many more foreign nationals and their employers try to obtain an H-1B than visas are available. Working with an experienced law firm is essential to ensure you have the best odds of a successful application during this limited window of H-1B opportunity. Firm founder Adrienne J. Vaughan has two decades of experience in preparing H-1B Applications, and she holds a leadership role in the New England chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. We welcome your inquiries or collaborating with you on an H-1B Application.