H-1B visa registration opens soon: New rules to affect employers, workers

The registration period for H-1B visas for the 2026 financial year will open in a month. Before that, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced a new set of rules that will reshape how the programme works. The final rule, which took effect on January 17, 2025, changes the way applications are processed, redefines eligibility, and gives more flexibility to both employers and foreign workers.