5 Ways to Check If a Company Sponsors H-1B Visas
Not sure if a company sponsors H-1B visas? Here are five ways to check employer sponsorship with Migrate Mate and government data.
Knowing which companies sponsor H-1B visas before you apply is one of the highest-leverage things you can do in an international job search. Most H-1B sponsoring companies have a filing record you can verify. Some have no record at all. The difference is public information.
Every H-1B sponsorship starts with a Labor Condition Application filed with the Department of Labor. That filing is public record. So is the USCIS petition history that follows.
The five methods below tell you how to find both, what the numbers mean, and when a company's H-1B sponsorship record is strong enough to be worth pursuing.
1. Search Migrate Mate's verified H-1B employer database
The fastest way to find H-1B sponsoring companies is to start with a database that has already done the research. Migrate Mate uses government disclosure data to surface employer sponsorship history in a searchable interface. You can filter by job title, location, and verified H-1B sponsorship history without opening a single government database.
Every employer on Migrate Mate shows how many visas they have sponsored in the past year, drawn from government disclosure data.
Search by role and location, filter for employers with a verified sponsorship track record, and you have a pre-screened list of H-1B sponsoring companies before you apply.
Search H-1B sponsoring companies on Migrate Mate
Find your next role2. Download DOL LCA disclosure data for role-specific filings
The OFLC performance data page gives you a more granular view than the USCIS Data Hub. Where the Data Hub tells you whether a company has sponsored, LCA data tells you what roles they sponsored, where, and at what wage level.
Download the most recent H-1B LCA disclosure file. Open it in Excel or Google Sheets and filter by:
- EMPLOYER_NAME: your target company
- SOC_CODE: your occupation (for example, 15-1252 for software developers)
- WORKSITE_STATE: your target location
- CASE_STATUS: filter for "Certified" only
An employer with multiple certified LCAs for roles matching your occupation code and target city is a strong H-1B sponsorship candidate. This data lets you identify companies that sponsor H-1B visas for roles that match your skills in your target location, not just companies that sponsor generally.
Migrate Mate surfaces the same data by role and location without the spreadsheet.
3. Verify an individual LCA filing on the DOL FLAG system
If a company tells you they have already filed an LCA for your position, you can verify it in minutes. The DOL FLAG system includes a public case status search.
Ask the employer for the LCA case number. The format starts with I-200-. Go to the FLAG case status search and enter it. The result will show Certified, Denied, Withdrawn, or In Process.
FLAG is a verification tool, not a discovery tool. It requires a case number to run a status check. If an employer cannot provide a case number or the number returns no result, that is worth investigating before you commit further time.
You can also use FLAG's prevailing wage search to look up the wage floor for your occupation and location. If the employer's salary offer is below the prevailing wage for your SOC code and area, the LCA would not be certified. A role that cannot be legally sponsored at the salary offered is not a real sponsorship offer.
4. Read the job posting language
Job postings are the fastest first-pass filter. Look for explicit signals:
- What to look for: "visa sponsorship available," "H-1B sponsorship provided," "will sponsor qualified candidates"
- What to avoid: "must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship," "no visa sponsorship," "candidates must have existing work authorization"
A missing sponsorship mention does not mean the company does not sponsor. Many H-1B sponsoring companies with consistent filing histories leave individual postings vague. Cross-reference the company name in the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub before ruling them out.
5. Ask the recruiter directly
Every database method above reflects historical filings, not current policy. A company can have a strong three-year filing history and pause new sponsorship tomorrow. Direct outreach is the only way to confirm what they are doing right now.
Migrate Mate provides verified contact information for hiring managers and immigration coordinators on each listing, so you already have the right person to reach before you even apply.
Contact them early, not after several interview rounds. Reference the company's filing history, and ask directly whether sponsorship is available for this role.
Find H-1B sponsoring companies on Migrate Mate
These five methods work. They also take hours when you run them across a full target list. Migrate Mate does the first two steps for you: it uses government disclosure data to surface employers with verified H-1B sponsorship history in a searchable interface, filtered by role and location.
Instead of starting from a general job board and researching each company manually, you start from a list that has already been screened. Apply to companies that have sponsored before, reach out to verified hiring manager contacts directly, and use the remaining methods in this article to dig deeper on your top targets.
Search employers with confirmed H-1B sponsorship history
Find your next roleFrequently asked questions
How do I know if a company will sponsor my H-1B?
Start by searching the company's name on the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, then review DOL LCA disclosure data for role-specific filings, and ask the recruiter directly. Past sponsorship doesn't guarantee future sponsorship, but consistent initial approval patterns over multiple fiscal years are a strong indicator. You can access the H-1B Employer Data Hub for free without creating an account.
Which company gives the most H-1B visas?
Technology companies and large IT services firms consistently rank among the top H-1B sponsors by petition volume. The exact rankings shift each fiscal year, so look up current figures on the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub by searching an employer name and sorting initial approvals across recent fiscal years.
Does past H-1B sponsorship guarantee future sponsorship?
No. Past LCA filings and H-1B approvals indicate willingness and experience with the process, but companies change sponsorship policies based on business needs, budget, and regulatory changes. The $100,000 supplemental fee introduced by a September 2025 Presidential Proclamation is one such change. Always verify current policy with the recruiter. If your sponsorship situation changes unexpectedly, understanding your H-1B grace period options is important.
What is the difference between an LCA and an H-1B petition?
An LCA (Labor Condition Application) is filed with DOL through the FLAG system and attests that the employer will pay the prevailing wage. The DOL FLAG system reviews it within seven business days. An H-1B petition (Form I-129) is filed with USCIS after LCA certification, and USCIS decides whether the position qualifies as a specialty occupation. LCA certification doesn't mean the H-1B was approved.
Can small companies sponsor H-1B visas?
Yes. Any U.S. employer can sponsor an H-1B worker regardless of company size, as long as the position qualifies as a specialty occupation and the employer can pay the prevailing wage. Search the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub to see whether a small employer has filed before.
What is the H-1B annual cap?
The H-1B annual cap is 65,000 visas for the regular category plus an additional 20,000 for holders of U.S. advanced degrees. Cap-exempt employers such as universities and nonprofit research institutions aren't subject to this limit.
How long does H-1B sponsorship take?
For cap-subject roles, the employer registers in March, and if selected, files the petition for an October 1 start date. The LCA step takes seven business days at DOL, and standard USCIS processing of the I-129 petition then takes several months. Premium processing guarantees a 15-business-day decision from USCIS. Without it, budget at least six to eight months from LCA filing to employment start for a cap-subject role.
Does the new $100,000 H-1B fee apply to all employers?
No. Under a September 2025 Presidential Proclamation, the $100,000 supplemental fee applies to employers petitioning for H-1B workers from abroad. Fees are subject to change based on policy and regulatory updates, so verify current requirements on USCIS.gov before applying. When researching a company, ask directly whether the fee affects their plans to sponsor new H-1B workers in the current fiscal year.
About the Author
Founder & CEO @ Migrate Mate
I moved from Australia to the United States in 2023. I have had 3 jobs, and 3 different visas. I started Migrate Mate to help people like me find their dream job in the USA & help them get visa sponsorship.
