The H-1B is the most common employment-based work visa for professionals in specialty occupations. Hasan Legal PC represents H-1B beneficiaries and employers across the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) — including federal contractors in Northern Virginia, healthcare and research institutions in Bethesda and Baltimore, and technology and consulting firms throughout the National Capital Region.
The H-1B visa is reserved for foreign professionals working in a specialty occupation that requires at least a U.S. bachelor's degree (or its foreign equivalent) in a specific field. Common qualifying fields include software engineering, data science, financial analysis, civil and electrical engineering, architecture, accounting, and certain healthcare and life-science roles. The petitioning U.S. employer must demonstrate the position is genuinely a specialty occupation and pay the prevailing wage as determined by a certified Labor Condition Application (LCA).
Each fiscal year USCIS has 65,000 regular H-1B numbers plus 20,000 reserved for U.S. master's-degree holders. Cap registration for FY2027 opens in March 2026; employers must register electronically and pay the $215 registration fee per beneficiary. Selected registrations may then file a full I-129 H-1B petition between April 1 and June 30, 2026 for an October 1, 2026 start date.
Standard I-129 H-1B adjudication is currently running 3 to 6 months in 2026. Premium processing (Form I-907, $2,805) guarantees a USCIS decision within 15 business days and is available for both new petitions and extensions. Federal contractors in Northern Virginia routinely use premium processing to onboard cleared talent quickly.
Universities, affiliated nonprofit research organizations, and government research institutions are exempt from the annual H-1B cap. Petitions can be filed any time of year. Examples in the DC region include Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland system, Georgetown University, George Washington University, the National Institutes of Health, and many federally funded research and development centers.
Under AC21 portability, an H-1B worker may begin employment with a new sponsoring employer as soon as USCIS receives a non-frivolous H-1B transfer petition — they do not need to wait for approval. The cap does not apply to transfers, extensions, amendments, or concurrent employment for someone already counted against the cap.
Most H-1B holders transition to permanent residency through employer-sponsored EB-2 or EB-3 categories (PERM labor certification, then I-140, then I-485 or consular processing). EB-1A and EB-1B categories may be available for individuals with extraordinary ability or outstanding researchers and professors. Hasan Legal PC routinely manages the entire H-1B-to-green-card pathway.