The route from F-1 student to Cap-subject and cap-exempt (H-1B)The H-1B category has an annual limit of 65,000 new visas or statuses per fiscal year, plus 20,000 more for people with a U.S. master's degree or higher. Petitions counted toward that limit are cap-subject. Petitions from higher education institutions, their related or affiliated nonprofits, and nonprofit or governmental research organizations are cap-exempt.See it in the glossary worker runs through an employer. The student cannot register for the H-1B selection alone. An employer must register the candidate in March, win selection, and then file a petition within a 90-day window.
The calendar
For fiscal year 2027, registration ran from March 4 to March 19, 2026, at $215 per registration. USCIS announced completion of selection on March 31, and selected PetitionerThe person or employer who files a petition on behalf of a beneficiary, such as a relative filing an I-130 or an employer filing an I-140.See it in the glossary could file starting April 1, with employment beginning no earlier than October 1, 2026, according to Ogletree Deakins. Employers filed until June 30, and USCIS said in July that the cap had been reached.
How selection works now
The 2027 season was the first to use weighted selection. Registrations are assigned one to four entries by the wage level of the offered salary, so higher-paid roles have better odds. The cap is 85,000: 65,000 regular numbers plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree or higher. A master’s holder can get two chances, first in the regular pool and then in the master’s pool.
What the numbers showed
USCIS reported 211,600 properly submitted registrations, down 38.5 percent from 343,981 the year before, according to Fragomen’s summary. USCIS said 71.5 percent of selected beneficiaries held a U.S. master’s degree or higher, up from 57 percent, and 17.7 percent were in the lowest wage level.
Where the student’s timeline connects
Students on Optional Practical Training (OPT)Temporary work authorization that lets eligible F-1 students work in a job directly related to their field of study. It can be used before or after completing a program, for up to 12 months in total at each education level, and students with certain STEM degrees can apply for a 24-month extension. USCIS grants it on Form I-765 after the school's designated school official recommends it.See it in the glossary or STEM OPT may bridge the months before October 1 with a cap-gap extension when a petition is timely filed, as described by USCIS. A student who is not selected has no further chance that year, since no second selection was run for fiscal year 2027.
Costs the employer carries
Beyond the registration fee, an H-1B petition carries filing and other fees, listed in our guide to the real cost of sponsoring a worker. A separate $100,000 payment proclamation targets workers outside the United States, as we explain in our fee status article.
Options outside the lottery
Cap-exempt employers, other visa categories and nationality-based options exist. Compare them in the TN, E-3 and H-1B1 comparison, or read the overview of the H-1B visa.