H-1B Visa Employer & Employee Fee Breakdown Calculator – 2026 USCIS Cap Rules

Breakdown mandatory employer legal fees, registration lottery costs ($215), I-129 petition ($780), ACWIA training, and Premium Processing ($2,805) for H-1B specialty workers.

Sponsoring Employer Organization Size

USCIS Premium Processing (Form I-907, $2,805)

Immigration Counsel & Legal Preparation

H-4 Dependent Family Members (Spouse & Kids)

Electronic Lottery Registration Fee:$215

Form I-129 Base & Fraud Prevention:$1,280

ACWIA Training Surcharge:$1,500

Asylum Program Surcharge Fee:$600

Employer Mandatory Total

$6,795

Mandatory by Department of Labor

Employee / Beneficiary Share

H-4 dependents & optional expedited fees

Statutory Responsibility Breakdown:

Employer Government Filing Fees:$3,595

Grand Total Outlay:$6,795

US Labor Law Prohibition: US 20 CFR 655.731 strictly makes it illegal for employers to require H-1B workers to pay or reimburse the employer for the ACWIA fee, fraud fee, or petition legal expenses.

Immigration and consular fee estimate based on official 2026 USCIS and Department of State fee schedules. This tool is for informational planning only and does not constitute formal legal representation or immigration attorney advice.

Official 2026 USCIS H-1B Visa Fee Regulations

H-1B specialty occupation sponsorship entails substantial financial commitments by US employers. Under modern USCIS fee restructuring, petition tariffs are tiered based on enterprise size and operational scale:

Mandatory Employer Fee Breakdown

Electronic Registration Lottery Fee: Established at $215 USD per beneficiary for initial lottery registration during March cap season.
Form I-129 Base Petition Fee: $780 USD for employers with more than 25 full-time employees, discounted to $460 USD for small enterprises (<= 25 FTE) and nonprofit institutions.
Asylum Program Fee: $600 USD for large employers, $300 USD for small employers, and $0 for recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits.
Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee: Mandatory $500 USD for all initial H-1B filings and changes of employer.
ACWIA US Worker Training Fee: $1,500 USD for companies with 26 or more full-time workers, reduced to $750 USD for businesses with 25 or fewer staff.
Form I-907 Premium Processing: Established at $2,805 USD for expedited 15-business-day adjudication.

Strict Department of Labor Legal Protections

Under US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division regulations, the sponsoring employer must bear all government petition and legal preparation expenses. Forcing an employee to reimburse these expenses is a severe compliance violation resulting in civil fines and debarment from the foreign labor certification program.

Frequently asked questions

Can an employee pay for Premium Processing?

Yes, but only if the expedited processing is requested for the personal convenience or benefit of the employee (e.g. urgent personal international travel) rather than business necessity.

What are the additional Public Law 114-113 fees?

Companies with 50 or more employees where over 50% are on H-1B or L-1 status must pay an additional $4,000 fee per initial petition.

Is the $215 lottery registration fee refundable if not selected?

No. The $215 electronic registration fee is non-refundable regardless of lottery selection outcome.

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