USCIS has determined that the H-1B visa registration schedule for fiscal year 2026 will begin March 7, 2025 and will immediately end on March 24, 2025. Indian IT professionals find great interest in the nonimmigrant H-1B visa because it enables U.S. companies to hire foreign workers in specialized occupations.
The USCIS has officially stated that the H-1B limits for fiscal year 2026 will operate under the new selection procedure that started in fiscal year 2025. This selection method based on unique beneficiaries instead of single registrations focuses on minimizing fraud and creating equivalent application opportunities for every applicant despite the number of registrations their employers submit.
Beneficiaries of prospective petitioners must register electronically through USCIS online accounts as they pay the required $215 fee for registration. The USCIS will randomly draw beneficiaries for notification through the online portal once the target number of new beneficial registrants surpasses 85,000 before March 24, 2025. Every properly registered entry submitted will receive selection if the quota is not filled. 
American information technology companies continue to rely heavily on the H-1B visa program to welcome educated professionals from China and India. A large percentage of the total 85,000 issued visas belongs to Indian citizens either through the regular cap of 65,000 or the advanced degree holder quota of 20,000.
The H-1B selection process becomes beneficiary-centric under the new system because USCIS aims to deliver a fair and transparent process that helps global talents contribute to economic growth in the United States.
