United States · Employer filing costs
H-1B cost to employer 2026.
Choose the employer type and what the petition is for. The tool lists each USCIS government fee on Form G-1055 edition 10/16/26 and totals them.
A new cap-subject petition from a regular employer with 26 or more employees, filed online, adds up to $3,545 in USCIS fees: $215 registration, $730 I-129, $600 asylum, $500 fraud and $1,500 ACWIA. Premium processing adds $2,965.
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Result
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What goes into an H-1B filing bill
An H-1B petition is Form I-129 with the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement. USCIS charges a base filing fee and then up to five add-ons, depending on who the employer is and what the petition does. The amounts below are from Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26, and 8 CFR 106.2.
- Registration, $215 per worker. Paid at registration for cap-subject workers. USCIS says the registration fee is non-refundable and due when the registration is submitted.
- Form I-129, $730 online or $780 on paper. Small employers and nonprofits pay $460, with no online discount. A small employer has 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees in the U.S., counting affiliates and subsidiaries.
- Asylum Program Fee, $600. $300 for a small employer and nothing for a nonprofit.
- Fraud Prevention and Detection fee, $500. Only for initial approval or a worker moving from another petitioner. Not charged on extensions with the same employer.
- ACWIA training fee, $1,500 or $750. The half rate applies to employers with 25 or fewer full-time employees. It is due on an initial grant, a change of employer, or the first extension, and is waived for exempt employers.
- Public Law 114-113 fee, $4,000. Due when the employer has 50 or more U.S. employees, more than half in H-1B, L-1A or L-1B status, and the petition is filed on or before September 30, 2027. It does not apply to an amended petition that seeks no extension. USCIS's H-1B page describes a 9-11 Biometric Entry-Exit Fee with the same 50-employee test, payable by covered employers on all H-1B and L-1 petitions submitted on or after September 9, 2026. This tool treats the two as one fee and uses the $4,000 on the schedule.
- Premium processing, $2,965. Optional, Form I-907, and in addition to every other fee.
Who is exempt from ACWIA
The I-129 instructions exempt institutions of higher education, nonprofits affiliated with them, nonprofit and government research organizations, primary and secondary schools, and nonprofits running curriculum-related clinical training. A petition is also exempt if it is the second or later extension, an amended petition with no extension, or filed to correct a USCIS error. The fee may not be charged to the beneficiary. Exempt employers must submit evidence of the exemption.
Three worked examples
Mid-size employer, new cap worker, online. $215 + $730 + $600 + $500 + $1,500 = $3,545. With premium processing, $6,510.
Hypothetical 20-person firm. The small-employer rates give $215 + $460 + $300 + $500 + $750 = $2,225.
Hypothetical staffing firm, 120 U.S. employees, 70 in H-1B status, second extension, online. $730 + $600 + $4,000 = $5,330. The fraud fee and ACWIA fee fall away on a later extension, but the $4,000 fee applies.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out the $215 registration fee for workers who are not selected. It is non-refundable and due when the registration is submitted.
- Charging the ACWIA fee on a second extension or on a no-extension amendment.
- Missing the $4,000 fee because the headcount test was never checked.
- Assuming the online discount applies to small employers and nonprofits. It does not.
- Treating the figure as the full cost. Attorney fees and Labor Department steps sit outside it.
The $100,000 payment is separate
The Presidential Proclamation payment is not part of the total above. The tool prints what the bill would be if it applied, because it would sit on top of the other fees. Scope and current collection status are on the $100,000 checker. A federal court order also notes that DHS has proposed a separate H-1B fee of $103,265 (91 Fed. Reg. 54,817, August 25, 2026). It is a proposal, so it is not modelled here.
What this does not cover
H-1B1 petitions for Chile and Singapore, cap-gap filings, attorney and recruiter fees, Department of Labor steps, H-4 dependent filings, and the green card process. The tool assumes a separate petition for each worker, so every petition-level fee repeats per worker.
Sources
- USCIS: Form G-1055 fee schedule (edition 10/16/26) — Appendix A, I-129 H-1B lines; registration, asylum, fraud, ACWIA, 114-113 and premium amounts.
- USCIS: G-1055 PDF — The fee table the amounts are read from.
- USCIS: Instructions for Form I-129 (09/09/26) — ACWIA exemptions and the 25-employee half rate.
- eCFR: 8 CFR 106.2, fees — I-129 H-1B $780 and the asylum and ACWIA fee provisions.
- eCFR: 8 CFR 106.1, definitions — Small employer: 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees.
- USCIS: H-1B specialty occupations — The September 9, 2026 fee rule and the $100,000 payment notice (updated September 21, 2026).
- GovInfo: Global Nurse Force v. Trump, order of 9/30/2026 — Mentions the proposed $103,265 fee, 91 Fed. Reg. 54,817.
Retrieved October 2026. Fees change with each G-1055 edition, so re-check the schedule on the day you file.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost an employer to file an H-1B in 2026?
For a regular employer filing a new cap-subject petition online, USCIS fees on the 10/16/26 schedule are $215 registration, $730 I-129, $600 asylum, $500 fraud and $1,500 ACWIA, a total of $3,545. Premium processing adds $2,965, and attorney fees are separate.
What is the ACWIA fee for H-1B?
It is a training fee of $1,500, or $750 for an employer with 25 or fewer full-time employees. It applies to an initial grant, a change of employer, and a first extension, and exempt employers such as universities do not pay it.
Which H-1B fees can the worker pay?
The ACWIA fee may not be assessed to the beneficiary, according to the I-129 instructions. The other USCIS fees are filed by the petitioning employer.
What is the $4,000 H-1B fee?
Form G-1055 lists a $4,000 Public Law 114-113 fee for employers with 50 or more U.S. employees when more than half are in H-1B, L-1A or L-1B status, on petitions filed on or before September 30, 2027. USCIS says covered employers pay its 9-11 fee on all H-1B petitions submitted on or after September 9, 2026, except an amendment that seeks no extension.
Do small employers pay less?
Yes. A small employer with 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees pays $460 for the I-129, $300 for the Asylum Program Fee, and half the ACWIA fee at $750. Nonprofits pay $460 and no Asylum Program Fee.
Is the $215 H-1B registration fee refundable if not selected?
USCIS says the registration fee is non-refundable and due at the time the registration is submitted. The fee schedule lists it as $215 per beneficiary.
Does premium processing cost extra?
Yes. Premium processing for an H-1B I-129 is $2,965 on the 10/16/26 schedule, filed on Form I-907, and it is in addition to all other fees.
Is the $100,000 payment included in this total?
No. It is a separate Proclamation payment made through pay.gov before filing. See the $100,000 checker for the scope and current status.
Not legal or tax advice
This page adds up fees published by USCIS for common cases. It is not legal advice, may not cover your facts, and excludes attorney and other costs. Confirm the amounts on the current Form G-1055 and USCIS fee calculator before paying.