Overview
- USCIS said it already received enough electronic registrations to fill the fiscal 2027 H‑1B cap.
- A new $100,000 application fee now applies to H‑1B petitions, with only 85 applicants paying it by Feb. 15, according to a court filing.
- Employers that rely on H‑1B talent in tech, research, hospitals, and universities report stalled hiring and higher costs, with rural care centers flagged as vulnerable.
- The Labor Department is preparing a new prevailing‑wage formula that it says will raise pay for visa holders to curb undercutting of entry‑level U.S. workers.
- Farm employers face looser rules after federal cuts of $1 to $3 an hour in required pay and a new one‑stop process, which the United Farm Workers is challenging in court.