Finding a job in the States as an international is exhausting. You’ve probably spent hours scrolling through job boards, only to hit that "Will you now or in the future require sponsorship?" question and feel your heart sink. Honestly, it’s a bit of a maze. But if you look at the raw data from 2024 and the early 2025 filings, a very clear pattern emerges. Some companies aren't just "willing" to sponsor; they basically run on H1B talent.
The landscape is shifting, though. For a long time, the massive Indian IT firms—think TCS or Infosys—were the undisputed kings of the H1B lottery. Not anymore. Recent policy shifts have made it much harder for those "outsourcing" models to grab every available slot. Nowadays, the big American tech giants have stepped up. They need AI experts, and they're willing to pay the massive new filing fees to get them.
The big players: list of h1b sponsoring companies in usa right now
If you want the best odds, you look where the volume is. It's really that simple. In the last year, Amazon has been a complete juggernaut. They aren't just hiring a few people; they’re getting thousands of approvals.
Here is the reality of who is actually hiring and sponsoring in massive numbers:
Amazon is currently at the top of the mountain. They secured over 9,000 approvals recently. They hire for everything from warehouse operations managers to high-level cloud architects for AWS.
Google and Microsoft are almost always in the top five. Google recently passed the 1,000 mark for new approvals, while Microsoft is sitting closer to 1,300. They want specialists. If you’re doing something with Large Language Models (LLMs) or cybersecurity, they're looking for you.
✨ Don't miss: General Electric Stock Price Forecast: Why the New GE is a Different Beast
Meta (Facebook) has actually doubled its numbers recently. It’s wild because they had those massive layoffs a couple of years back, but now they are back in the talent race, specifically for their "Year of Efficiency" projects and Meta AI.
The Big Four (EY, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG) are the dark horses. People think tech is the only way, but Ernst & Young (EY) and Deloitte are often in the top three for total filings. They don't just hire accountants; they hire data scientists and consultants. EY alone has consistently seen approvals in the several thousands range.
Cognizant and Infosys are still huge, but their dominance is cooling off. They are still a solid bet if you’re a software developer, but they’ve faced more scrutiny lately from USCIS compared to the direct tech firms.
Why the "Who" matters more than the "How many"
It isn't just about the number of visas. You’ve got to look at the salary. A company like Microsoft might pay an H1B holder a median salary of $160,000, whereas a massive outsourcing firm might sit closer to $82,000.
Why does this matter? Because of the new wage-based selection rules.
🔗 Read more: Fast Food Restaurants Logo: Why You Crave Burgers Based on a Color
Basically, the government is trying to prioritize higher-paid workers. If you’re offered a "Level 4" wage (the highest tier for your role and area), you might get multiple entries in the lottery. If you’re at Level 1, you only get one. This means a job offer from a "high-paying" sponsor actually gives you a better mathematical chance of winning the lottery than a lower-paying one. Kinda crazy, but that’s the 2026 reality.
Beyond Silicon Valley: surprising sponsors
Don't get stuck thinking you have to live in a $4,000-a-month apartment in San Francisco to get a visa. The list of h1b sponsoring companies in usa includes plenty of "non-tech" names that might surprise you.
- Walmart: They are a tech company in disguise. Their headquarters in Bentonville and their hubs in Sunnyvale hire hundreds of H1B engineers for their e-commerce and supply chain tech.
- JPMorgan Chase & Goldman Sachs: Finance is huge. They need quant researchers and software devs to keep the global markets moving.
- Tesla and Intel: If you’re into hardware or manufacturing, these two are the heavy hitters. Tesla has been ramping up sponsorship for its autonomous driving and battery engineering teams.
- Cummins and John Deere: Seriously. Industrial giants need specialized mechanical and electrical engineers. They often have higher approval rates because the "specialty" of the role is easier to prove to the government.
The $100,000 elephant in the room
There’s a new hurdle you should know about. There’s been talk and some implementation of a massive $100,000 fee for certain new H1B petitions, especially for those applying from abroad or certain consulting firms. This makes boutique firms very nervous.
Small firms might love you, but can they afford a six-figure fee on top of your salary? Probably not. This is why the big names like Apple and Nvidia are becoming even more dominant—they have the cash to burn to secure "must-have" talent.
How to actually use this list to get hired
Knowing the names is 10% of the battle. The rest is strategy. You shouldn't just spam your resume to Amazon’s portal.
💡 You might also like: Exchange rate of dollar to uganda shillings: What Most People Get Wrong
First, check the H1B Employer Data Hub provided by USCIS. It’s a public database where you can see exactly how many people a company sponsored last year and, more importantly, how many were denied. If a company has a 30% denial rate, run. If they have a 99% approval rate (like Google), you’re in good hands.
Second, look for "Cap-Exempt" sponsors. Universities, non-profit research orgs, and some hospitals don't have to deal with the April lottery. They can sponsor you any time of year, and there’s no limit on how many visas they can get. It’s the "cheat code" of the immigration world.
Third, optimize for the wage level. If you're negotiating a salary, try to get into that Level 2 or Level 3 bracket. Under the new rules, your salary directly impacts your lottery odds. It's not just about the money in your pocket; it's about the legal right to stay in the country.
Practical next steps for your search
Start by narrowing your target list to companies that have at least 50+ H1B approvals in the last three years. You can find this on sites like H1BGrader or MyVisaJobs. Once you have that list, find recruiters on LinkedIn who specifically handle "University Relations" or "Global Talent"—they are the ones most familiar with the sponsorship process.
Before you even apply, make sure your resume highlights the "specialty" aspect. The H1B is for "specialty occupations." You aren't just a "manager"; you're a "Technical Program Manager with specialized knowledge in Agile Scaled Frameworks." Use the jargon that matches the Department of Labor's occupational handbooks.
Focus your energy on the "Big Tech" and "Big Finance" sectors first, as they are currently absorbing the new fee costs better than mid-sized firms. Check the recent 2025 filing data to see if your target company is still active in the current fiscal year before you spend hours on their application.