H-1B Employer Database: 8 Things It Tells You

The H-1B employer database is public. It draws from the certified Labor Condition Applications, or LCAs, that employers file with the Department of Labor, and from the petition data USCIS publishes. This checklist walks through eight things that record shows about a sponsor.

Check 1: The employer's filing footprint

Start by seeing how much an employer appears in the public record at all. Filing volume year over year shows whether it sponsors consistently or only once in a while, which tells you how established its process is before you apply.

The two government sources are the Department of Labor's disclosure data and the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub.

Check 2: The employer's legal name on the filing

Every certified LCA lists a single legal entity. That name, not the brand you interviewed with, is the company that will file your H-1B petition. It is worth confirming before you take an interview slot.

A mismatch between the brand name and the legal name on the filing is the first sign of a staffing or third-party placement setup. If the legal name is a staffing entity like "XYZ Consulting LLC" but the brand you interviewed with is the client, ask which entity signs your offer. Same entity for both is a direct hire. Different entities means the staffing firm is your sponsor.

Check 3: The wage against the prevailing wage

The Department of Labor requires the employer to pay the higher of the wage it pays similar staff or the prevailing wage for the role. The filing lists both. If they are identical to the dollar, the employer is paying the legal floor, not a premium. A wage above the prevailing wage means the employer is paying above the floor.

Before you counter an offer, ask whether the salary sits above the prevailing wage or at it. Employers paying at the floor have little reason to raise wages after filing.

Check 4: The wage level on the filing

The prevailing wage sits at one of four levels, from entry level to expert: Level I (entry, 17th percentile), Level II (qualified, 34th), Level III (experienced, 50th), and Level IV (fully competent, 67th). The level tells you how the employer classified the role.

A senior-titled job filed at Level I is worth questioning. It means the employer priced a senior role at the entry-level floor. If the title in the posting and the wage level do not match, raise it in your first interview.

Check 5: The job classification on the filing

Every filing lists an official job classification that sets the pay floor. Once in a while that classification is a lower, cheaper role than the one you interviewed for, which prices your salary against a lower benchmark.

If the offer describes a senior job but the classification points to a junior one, the employer has priced the role below your actual duties. The job you interviewed for and the job on the filing should match. It is a documented way staffing firms hold wages down, so it is worth checking.

Check 6: The worksite and how many workers the filing covers

Each filing lists where the work happens and how many H-1B workers it covers. A worksite away from the employer's own offices points to third-party placement. A single filing covering hundreds of workers points to a staffing model.

If the worksite on the filing is a client office rather than the employer's own, ask what happens between projects and who keeps paying you. That worksite is your only written record of where the employer said you would work.

Check 7: The employer's filing history over time

The public record shows every certified filing an employer has made. Continuity matters more than raw volume. An employer with several straight years of filings has an established process and lawyers who know how to answer the government's questions when they come up.

A one-off filer is closer to learning on your case. A gap in the history is not automatically disqualifying, but it is fair to ask about it on your first recruiting call.

Check 8: How often the employer's petitions are approved

The public record also shows how often an employer's petitions are approved or denied. When two employers look similar on everything else, the approval rate is the tiebreaker. An employer whose petitions clear reliably has a process that holds up. One with a high denial rate has a pattern the government keeps rejecting, which is worth knowing before you commit.

Finding H-1B employers who pass every check

Running all eight checks across every employer on your shortlist takes a weekend. Migrate Mate lists roles from employers with a verified history of sponsoring H-1B workers, so the sponsorship record is checked before a listing reaches you. You can see current openings on the H-1B visa sponsorship jobs page.

Frequently asked questions