On Friday, December 6, 2019, USCIS announced its implementation of its new H-1B lottery registration process after a successful pilot testing phase. Employers will now need to first register electronically and remit a $10 registration fee when filing H-1B Cap-subject (including Cap-subject advanced degree exemption) petitions for FY (Fiscal Year) 2021.
USCIS will open an initial registration period starting March 1st and ending March 20, 2020. This process will require employers to provide basic information about their company and each H-1B Cap candidate. Thereafter the H-1B random selection process, if necessary, will be run on the H-1B Cap candidates that have been electronically registered. Instead of preparing and submitting a full petition for all H-1B Cap candidates, only selected registrants who are eligible to file will be required to submit the full H-1B Cap-subject petitions to USCIS.
As the initial registration period nears, step-by-step instructions will be posted on USCIS’ website informing registrants on the completion of the electronic registration process and providing important dates and timelines. If USCIS does not receive enough electronic registrations, it may be determined that additional electronic registrations will be accepted in order to reach H-1B Cap FY 2021 numerical allocations.
For more information on the new H-1B Cap Electronic Registration Process, visit Registration Requirement for Petitioners Seeking To File H-1B Petitions on Behalf of Cap-Subject Aliens.
We will keep you apprised of future developments as they occur.