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The Envoy Global platform along with your legal team at Corporate Immigration Partners (CIP) help to ensure that employers are fully supported through every step of H-1B Cap process. Each year, Envoy Global and CIP partner to present clients and their sponsored employees with webinars, technical support, and legal guidance for a seamless experience.
We have compiled the most common questions we receive from sponsoring employers to help prepare for the next H-1B Cap lottery.
This is a high level overview intended for employers sponsoring beneficiaries in the H-1B Cap lottery. Circumstances may vary from case to case and questions about cases opened in your Envoy Global account should be directed to the legal team at CIP in the Communication Center. This information may be outdated and will be updated as new information is provided pertaining to the upcoming Cap lottery.
What is the H-1B Cap lottery?
All employees sponsored for an H-1B Cap case will be entered into the upcoming Cap lottery conducted by USCIS annually. The lottery system is used to limit the number of new H-1B visa petitions granted each fiscal year. USCIS grants 85,000 new H-1B visas (65,000 for all specialty occupation workers and 20,000 for specialty occupation workers who earned U.S. advanced degrees).
If a registrant is selected in the lottery, then an H-1B petition can be filed on their behalf by their sponsoring employer.
Is the H-1B Cap lottery a random selection or is it weighted?
On December 23, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Final Rule to Change the Selection Process for H-1B Cap Cases from a “random” selection process to a “weighted” selection process. The new process took effect on February 27, 2026 in time for the FY2027 H-1B Cap lottery.
DHS has replaced the random H-1B lottery with a lottery system that is based on the wage levels for the applications registered in the H-1B Cap. Registrations associated with higher Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) wage levels receive higher selection weight (i.e., more chances at the lottery), although all wage levels remain eligible.
When does the H-1B Cap lottery typically take place?
The lottery typically takes place in early April. We recommend that employers begin considering who will be sponsored in the upcoming lottery starting in December or January so cases can be opened in Envoy Global early in the year. To be considered for the lottery, employers will work with CIP to register eligible during the registration period which typically takes place in March. Any beneficiaries selected may then be eligible to apply for H-1B status.
Who should be enrolled for the H-1B Cap lottery?
Your company might consider enrolling foreign nationals in the following visa statuses. We recommend reading this article on Cap enrollment and having a conversation with the legal team at CIP on eligibility.
- F-1 CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT
- L-1A and L-1B
- O-1
- TN, E-3, H-1B1
- Dependents (H-4, L-2S, E-2S, E-3S, AOS applicants)
To review beneficiaries who your company previously sponsored as well as a list of employees who may be eligible for the Cap lottery, read more on the H-1B Cap Planner tool.
What is the cost to enroll beneficiaries in the H-1B Cap lottery?
Please contact your Account Management team or the legal team at CIP for pricing. There is a fee to register beneficiaries in the lottery as well as additional charges if selected and an H-1B petition is filed for them.
Employers are typically responsible for most fees related to Cap registration and filing the H-1B petition.
What are a few important dates employers should keep in mind with regard to the H-1B Cap lottery?
There are a series of important dates leading up to and after the Cap lottery that employers should keep in mind. It is important to note that dates announced by USCIS will likely change year to year. Envoy Global and CIP will keep companies informed when official dates are announced.
December - Work with your Account Management and CIP legal team to determine eligible Cap beneficiaries and review pricing.
January - Open H-1B Cap cases in the Envoy Global platform for intake so the legal team can begin their analysis.
February - Ensure your company's MyUSCIS account is setup and prepare for H-1B Cap registration.
March - H-1B Cap registration typically takes place.
April - H-1B Cap lottery typically takes place.
All Cap cases typically need to be filed within a designated filing period.
October - Employees with an approved H-1B petition can typically begin working.
How does the registration process work?
All eligible beneficiaries must be registered within the registration window that USCIS provides to be considered for the H-1B Cap lottery. This period is typically announced in February but varies year to year. There is no benefit to applying early or late in the registration window, so long as they are registered within the registration period.
Registration typically takes place in the MyUSCIS online portal and employers will work with Envoy Global and CIP to ensure their accounts are setup and linked to their legal representative(s). Registration updates will be available in MyUSCIS including registration confirmation, selection status, and more. It is critical that MyUSCIS accounts are setup correctly and actions are completed in a timely manner to ensure no interruption to the registration process.
Once the registration period closes, USCIS will typically begin announcing selections in a few business days and selections may continue to be updated for several days. Envoy Global and CIP will work with employers to review selections and update the Envoy Global platform once selections are confirmed.
Should employers expect any changes to the upcoming H-1B Cap lottery?
At this time, we expect USCIS to use their online portal, MyUSCIS, to complete the registration process for the H-1B Cap lottery as they have done in years past. If you need support with your MyUSCIS account, we recommend reading these articles.
H-1B petitions are typically eligible for electronic filing, meaning that petitions filed for selected registrants may be prepared in MyUSCIS as well. Learn more about electronic filing.
Employers should subscribe to Envoy Global's News Alerts to ensure updates related to the H-1B Cap lottery are delivered to their inbox.
What happens when a beneficiary is selected in the H-1B Cap lottery?
If a beneficiary is selected in the Cap lottery, then CIP will work with the employer to confirm whether they can proceed with preparing and filing the H-1B petition. Being selected in the lottery does not grant H-1B status, but rather the opportunity to file an H-1B petition. The petition would still need to be adjudicated by USCIS along standard processing times.
What happens if a beneficiary is not selected in the H-1B Cap lottery?
If a beneficiary is not selected, then CIP with work with the employer to review their options or 'Cap alternatives'. These options are typically reviewed prior to registration so employers are clear on contingency options if an employee is not selected.
We will keep accounts open in the Envoy Global platform until we hear from USCIS that all selections have been made and the Cap has been met. It is possible that there could be additional lottery selections after the initial round.