USCIS Reaches FY 2027 H-1B Cap: What Employers Need to Do Now

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on July 17, 2026, that it has received enough petitions to reach both the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B regular cap and the 20,000 U.S. advanced-degree exemption (the master’s cap) for Fiscal Year 2027. This confirms the conclusion of the cap-subject selection process for the upcoming fiscal year. Because the agency has met its statutory quotas, it will not conduct a second H-1B cap lottery for FY 2027. Employers with selected registrations had until June 30, 2026, to file their corresponding petitions. With the cap officially reached, companies must pivot their immigration strategies for any unselected candidates. While new cap-subject filings are closed until the FY 2028 season opens in early 2027, USCIS will continue to accept and process cap-exempt H-1B petitions. This includes petitions filed to extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the United States, change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers, allow current H-1B workers to change employers, and allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B position. Employers should consult with their immigration counsel to evaluate alternative visa pathways for critical talent whose registrations were not selected this year. They should also preserve records of each worker's current status and any applicable grace-period dates while evaluating alternatives.