The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) opened the registration window for the FY 2027 H-1B visa programme on Thursday, enabling US employers to sponsor foreign professionals for specialised
jobs. The registration period concludes on March 19, 2026, incorporating new selection rules and procedural changes that could impact applicants. This visa system is about to undergo its first significant test.
Earlier, the US Department of Homeland Security had issued new guidelines concerning the $100,000 application fee, including several exemptions and exceptions. Let’s take a look:
Application Fee: According to the new guidelines, foreign workers transitioning from another visa category, such as an F-1 (student visa), to an H-1B visa will not need to pay this substantial fee. Additionally, those already residing in the United States and applying for an amendment, change of status, or extension to their H-1B visa will also be exempt from this fee. Current H-1B visa holders will face no travel restrictions to and from the United States.
Enhanced Vetting: On December 3, the Donald Trump administration announced increased vetting of applicants for H-1B visas for highly skilled workers, with an internal State Department memo saying that anyone involved in “censorship” of free speech be considered for rejection. H-1B visas, which allow US employers to hire foreign workers in speciality fields, are crucial for US tech companies, which recruit heavily from countries including India and China.
Jobs Likely To Qualify For H-1B Visa
USCIS publishes statistics on the employers that file H-1B visa petitions and the occupations approved for H-1B visas. The most recent report, “Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers,” covers the Fiscal Year 2024 as of September 2025.
Among the list includes, Accountants and Auditors, Architects, Biologists, Civil Engineers, College and University Educators, Economists, Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Investment Bankers, Graphic Designers and Artists, Mechanical Engineers, Physicians and Surgeons, Software Engineers, among others.
