Employer-sponsored specialty work, with annual cap selection where applicable. Consular online-presence screening already applies to H-1B and H-4 applicants.
Route overview
Employer sponsorship + lottery/cap
Typical timeline / duration: Stay and work are limited by the approved petition and admission record; the processing estimate is not the permitted stay.
Important notes
Have a qualifying U.S. job in a specialty occupation that normally requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent in a directly related field.
A U.S. employer or qualifying petitioner must file the required H-1B petition, with the certified labour-condition information and evidence that the role and beneficiary meet the specialty-occupation rules.
If the role is cap-subject, complete the applicable electronic registration and selection process before filing the full petition; cap-exempt cases follow different rules.
After petition approval, complete the visa or change-of-status process and work only in the approved employer, role, locations, and validity period unless a lawful portability or amended-petition rule applies.
H-1B is employer-sponsored and can be lottery-limited. A remote worker cannot use it as an open permit without a qualifying U.S. petitioner and role.
The exact cap, filing edition, fees, selection process, and adjudication policy can change by fiscal year, so confirm the current USCIS cap-season instructions before filing.
Already applicable: the State Department's 18 September 2026 notice lists H-1B and H-4 among categories already subject to online-presence review. Its 1 October expansion adds other categories; it is not an H-1B start date.
Preparation checklist
Ask the employer to confirm whether the petition is cap-subject and which registration and filing timetable applies.
Prepare qualification and employment evidence with the petitioner, and retain the petition approval and admission records.
For a consular visa application, follow the post's current forms, interview and screening instructions.