H-1B visa program hits cap for the next fiscal year

Summary

USCIS has announced it reached the H-1B cap for fiscal year 2027, including the 20,000 visas reserved for holders of US master’s degrees. The regular annual cap remains 65,000. This lottery was the first run under a new weighted selection process favouring higher-skilled and higher-paid candidates.

The announcement comes amid several Trump administration changes that are reshaping H-1B sponsorship: a presidential proclamation introducing a $100,000 fee on some new petitions, planned social-media checks by the State Department, and a proposed Department of Labour rule to raise prevailing wages for H-1B holders. Employers report disruption and compliance burdens, with some firms adjusting headcount in response to the cumulative policy shifts.

Key Points

USCIS reached the FY2027 H-1B cap: 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 advanced-degree exemptions.
The FY2027 lottery used a new weighted selection process that prioritises higher-skilled, higher-paid applicants.
The Trump administration has introduced a $100,000 fee on certain new H-1B petitions (subject to exceptions and legal challenges).
The State Department plans online presence reviews of applicants and dependants, increasing vetting of social media activity.
The Department of Labour proposed raising prevailing wage rates for H-1B workers—part of wider efforts to curb perceived programme abuse and protect US wages.

Context and relevance

This is an important development for HR teams, talent acquisition and employers who rely on sponsored visas. The cap being reached means employers who didn’t get selected in the lottery will face recruitment delays and may need contingency plans. Combined with higher fees, stricter vetting and proposed wage hikes, the cumulative effect increases hiring costs, extends timelines and raises compliance risk.

For organisations with technical or specialised roles dependent on overseas talent, this alters workforce planning, budgets and vendor use for immigration support. Legal challenges to some policies are ongoing, but the operational impact is already being felt across sectors.

Why should I read this?

Look, if you hire international talent or run workforce planning, this isn’t background noise — it directly hits your hiring pipeline, budgets and compliance checklist. Quick read, saves you the time of digging through policy memos: know the cap is closed, the lottery favours higher-paid hires, fees and wage rules are changing, and extra vetting is coming. Plan now, panic later if you ignore it.