The first registration period for the most sought-after H-1B visas by Indian IT professionals for fiscal 2026 will begin on March 7 and close on March 24, a federal agency has said.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.
The hiring of tens of thousands of employees every year by technology companies is dependent on it from countries like India and China.
The first registration period for the most coveted H-1B visas for foreign guest workers for fiscal 2026 will open at noon Eastern Time (10.30 pm IST) on March 7 and close at noon Eastern Time (10.30 pm IST) on March 24, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said on Wednesday.
According to it, during this period, prospective petitioners and representatives must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary.
The registration fee is USD 215.
The USCIS further said that the FY 2026 H-1B cap will use the beneficiary-centric selection process launched in FY 2025. The US fiscal begins on October 1.
Indians are the principal beneficiaries of H-1B visas, bringing in the best of the talent and brains from across the world. Highly skilled professionals from India walk away with the overwhelming number of H-1B visas - which is Congressional mandated 65,000 every year and another 20,000 for those who received higher education from the US.
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