Effective March 2020, USCIS formalized an electronic registration process for all H1-B sponsoring employers prior to submitting the final, detailed H1-B petition. This helped in reducing heavy costs, time and improve the entire H1-B lottery process.
What Is Electronic Registration For H1-B Lottery
Per a DHS ruling, all employers who wish to sponsor an employee to work in the U.S. should first create an online account and submit basic information on the applicant with USCIS. This basic information will include –
- Official name of the sponsoring company
- Address of the sponsoring company
- Employer identification Number
- Official name (as it appears on the passport) of the H1-B beneficiary
- Gender & date of birth of the H1-B beneficiary
- Country of birth & citizenship
- Passport number (H1-Bbeneficiary has to have a valid passport prior to being sponsored)
- Eligibility for US Masters H1-B Quota
Who Has To Register For The H1-B 2022 Lottery-cap
U.S. based employers who wish to have a foreign worker with certain qualifications not available in the local U.S. job market have to electronically register their petitioners. This is applicable to both H1-B cap-subject as well as advanced degree-exempt petitioners.
These electronically registered applicants get to participate in a random lottery conducted by the USCIS for H1-B for FY 2022.
When To Register For The H1-B 2022 Lottery-cap
The registration period starts on March 14, 2020, and ends March 30, 2020. Depending upon how many applications are registered within this time-frame, USCIS reserves the right to extend or reopen the registration, if needed. The total number of applicants accepted each year is 85,000.
For the latest in dates and process updates, tune into our blogs for all H1-B related updates .
What is The Process for Registering for the H1-B 2022 Lottery
- Starting February 15, 2021, all petitioning employers have to create an account as a ‘new registrant’ on the USCIS website. This will generate a unique account number for that specific employer.
- Starting noon of March 09, 2021, the petitioning employers can register each of their employees for a non-refundable $10 fee.
- Each employee requires a separate registration and a $10 fee each.
- Registration period ends on March 25, 2020.
Final Steps After Electronic Registration of H1-B Petition
- After receiving all the registrations until March 25, 2021, USCIS will conduct a random lottery of the registrants and announce the winners.
- These registrants will be notified of their selection through their USCIS accounts or notified through their legal representatives either through email or text messages.
- Starting April 1, 2021, the selected petitioners can submit formal and detailed H1-B petitions to USCIS.
- Petitioners will have 90 days to file the entire petition. Given that these dates are fluid, you are advised to have it completed and submitted at the earliest possible date.
Important Electronic Registration Dates for the H1-B 2022 Lottery-cap
- February 15, 2021: Sponsoring employers create online accounts with USCIS
- March 14– 25, 2021: Electronic registrations on the USCIS online tool
- March 26- 31, 2021: USCIS selects 85,000 applicants
- April 1 2021: USCIS announces results of their selection.
- April 1 – June 30, 2021: Selected petitioners can file completed H1-B applications
For the latest in the H1-B 2022 lottery cap news, check out PathUSA.
