Companies that sponsor H-1B visa applications also have a wider net of potential employees from which to choose. And most importantly, companies that sponsor employees are more likely to hire the candidate of their choice. Read on to learn more about companies that often sponsor H-1B visas and how you can take advantage of these opportunities for your career.
Introduction to H-1B Visa Sponsorship
The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations where there is a shortage of qualified American workers. The hiring company “sponsors” the employee on an H-1B visa.
H-1B visa sponsorship is most common in the computer software and IT fields but can also be used in other industries, including healthcare, education, and research. The H-1B visa is only valid for a specific job with a specific employer, and the employee must apply for a new visa if they change jobs.
The H-1B visa is one of the most sought-after visas for professionals working in the US. It is also one of the toughest to get. H-1B visas are subject to annual quotas; each year, only a certain number of new visas are issued. In 2018, for instance, the visa lottery received about 230,000 applications within three days.
Only 885,000 H-1B visas are issued annually, and they are usually snapped up in the first few weeks of filing. But it’s not impossible to get one as long as you meet the criteria.
Applying for a professional job requires professional credentials. H-1B visa holders have either Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees or the equivalent.
Registering for the H-1B visa enters you into a random lottery. Those with Master’s degrees or higher get two chances to be chosen from the lottery. If they aren’t chosen the first time, they are re-entered into the Regular cap lottery alongside Bachelor’s degree holders.
6 US Companies That Sponsor H-1B Visa Applications
The US government agency that oversees the H-1B visa applications has a database of all employers who have submitted H1B petitions from 2009 to the current fiscal year. The searchable H-1B Employer Data Hub is found here.
Here are six popular US companies you’ll find on the hub.
Amazon
Amazon is one of the top H-1B visa sponsors. The company has an H-1B visa sponsorship program that it uses to recruit talent from around the world. While Amazon’s program is designed for US and abroad employees, the company occasionally partners with universities and other organizations to sponsor students on an H-1B visa.
Amazon offers a variety of jobs with H-1B visa sponsorship, including software engineers, product managers, and accountants. Most H-1B visa sponsorship jobs require a bachelor’s degree or higher, but some may accept candidates with only a college degree.
Facebook is another one of the top H-1B visa sponsors in the US Facebook sponsors employees in a variety of positions, including software engineers, data scientists, and product managers.
Facebook’s engineering team is one of the company’s top priorities, and more than half of the company’s engineers work in the engineering department. Facebook often hires for engineering roles with an H-1B visa sponsorship, and some engineers are hired with a green card.
Google sponsors employees in a wide range of tech-related fields, including software engineers, data scientists, and product managers. Google also sponsors employees in a variety of non-tech fields, including sales and marketing.
Google has a large engineering team, but the company also has a growing sales and marketing department, including a sales team focused on the enterprise market. Google also has sales teams that work with advertisers, YouTube partners, and small businesses.
Microsoft
In addition to sponsoring employees for an H-1B visa, Microsoft also sponsors employees for an L-1 visa. An L-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa for employees who come to the US from another country as intracompany transfers.
Microsoft’s engineering team is one of the company’s top priorities, with a focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Microsoft also has sales teams focused on the enterprise market and small businesses.
Intel
Intel’s engineering team is one of the company’s top priorities, focusing on artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, 5G, and other emerging technologies.
Intel also sponsors employees in a variety of sales and marketing positions and hires employees for general and administrative positions. Many of Intel’s sales representatives work remotely and work with customers in other countries.
Uber and Lyft
While Uber and Lyft are ride-sharing companies, both companies hire employees with an H-1B visa sponsorship. Uber and Lyft hire for a wide variety of positions, including engineers, product managers, and general and administrative positions.
What’s Next?
Recruiters can pair H-1B visa applicants with prospective sponsors. However, a job offer must be extended before the visa process can begin. Before beginning the H-1B visa sponsorship process, it’s essential to understand the eligibility requirements and the best ways to navigate the application process.
Small errors, such as missed filing dates and incomplete data, could delay a decision. Visa2US has experts to help you understand and negotiate through the delicate process.
