Top 10 E-3 Visa Sponsor Companies in 2026
A ranking of the ten U.S. companies filing the most E-3 visa LCAs in 2026, based on public DOL OFLC disclosure data. For each company: annualized filings, year-over-year change, average certified wage, common job titles, and what Australian candidates should know before applying
E-3 visa sponsor companies are the U.S. employers actively hiring Australian workers under the E-3 visa program. For Australian candidates, focusing your job search on companies with a proven E-3 filing track record is the most effective way to find a sponsor. These employers already have the immigration infrastructure and routine process to file your petition without friction.
The top sponsors in 2026 are dominated by Big Tech, but the mix has shifted noticeably from a year ago. AI labs and Australian-owned firms are scaling U.S. hiring while traditional tech sponsors have pulled back.
Key takeaways
- Big Tech still leads E-3 sponsorship by volume, but Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Google all pulled back in the first half of 2026 versus 2025.
- AI labs are scaling fast. Anthropic's filings grew 500% YoY and OpenAI's grew 214%, with new entrants Baseten Labs and Lorikeet AI appearing for the first time.
- Australian-owned firms are expanding U.S. operations rapidly, led by Macquarie Group (three filing entities), Commonwealth Bank of Australia, AustralianSuper, and Atlassian.
- The average certified E-3 wage reached a new high in 2026, continuing six years of steady growth from $132,175 in 2020 to $171,671 in the first half of 2026.
- Total program volume is stable at around 10,000 filings per year, but the mix of sponsors is changing fast.
The rankings below come from Department of Labor Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public LCA disclosure data for the first half of 2026 (October 2025 through March 2026), annualized to project full-year volume.
1. Amazon
Amazon is the largest E-3 visa sponsor in 2026, with 228 certified E-3 LCA filings annualized in fiscal 2026 H1.
Amazon's fiscal 2026 H1 filings in the DOL OFLC quarterly disclosure are as follows:
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~228 | -20% from fiscal 2025 (287) | Not itemized in fiscal 2026 H1 public data | Seattle, Bay Area, NYC, Austin, Arlington VA |
Top SOC codes: Software Developers, Solutions Architects, Product Managers, Data Engineers, Operations Research Analysts.
Amazon has consistently led E-3 sponsorship since the early 2010s. The pullback reflects broader tech workforce reshaping after the 2023–2024 layoffs, not a policy change toward the E-3.
The volume drop means the funnel is narrower than it was 12 months ago, but Amazon still files more E-3 LCAs than any other employer by a wide margin. Seattle remains the primary hub, with meaningful secondary volume in the Bay Area, NYC, Austin, and Arlington.
Amazon is still worth treating as a primary target. The sponsorship infrastructure is mature and the process is routine for their immigration team.
2. Google
Google is the second-largest E-3 visa sponsor in 2026, with 110 certified E-3 LCA filings annualized in fiscal 2026 H1.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~110 | -10% from fiscal 2025 (122) | ~$220,000 | Mountain View, San Francisco, NYC, Sunnyvale, Austin |
Top SOC codes: Software Developers, Research Scientists, Product Managers, UX Designers, Information Security Analysts.
Google's E-3 decline is the most modest among Big Tech volume leaders, smaller than Apple's or Microsoft's. Google still ranks second on absolute filing volume and certifies wages in the top-quartile range for Big Tech.
The Bay Area and NYC offices file the most. Smaller hubs in Austin and Seattle file a smaller share. Senior engineering and research roles are the strongest E-3 targets at Google right now.
For Australian engineers and researchers, Google remains a high-quality target. The immigration team processes the E-3 as a routine filing, and the LCA is certified before your interview loop is even scheduled.
3. Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group is the largest Australian-owned E-3 visa sponsor in 2026, with 87 certified filings across its three U.S. filing entities, more than any other Australian-headquartered employer.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~87 combined (Holdings ~45, Global Services ~24, Asset Management ~18) | Two of three entities are new fiscal 2026 entrants. Combined growth materially above fiscal 2025 | $150K–$250K range | NYC (primary), Houston, San Diego, Philadelphia |
Top SOC codes: Financial Analysts, Investment Bankers, Software Developers, Data Scientists, Operations Research Analysts, Management Analysts.
Macquarie's three filing entities cover different parts of the U.S. business: investment banking (Macquarie Holdings USA), operations and tech (Macquarie Global Services USA), and asset management (Macquarie Asset Management U.S.). The candidate experience is similar across all three, but the entity name on your LCA will depend on which division hires you.
The E-3 was designed for exactly this pattern: Australian firms scaling U.S. operations with Australian talent. Macquarie's immigration team understands the process intimately and runs it routinely.
Two of the three entities are new entrants in fiscal 2026, which explains why the combined Macquarie number has grown significantly even as Big Tech has contracted.
If you're in finance, risk, or tech and want to work for an Australian-headquartered firm in the U.S., Macquarie is the strongest E-3 pipeline outside of Big Tech. Confirm during the offer stage which Macquarie entity will be your LCA filer, since it affects where you're considered employed for tax and HR purposes.
4. Apple
Apple is among the top five E-3 visa sponsors in 2026, with 42 certified E-3 LCA filings annualized in fiscal 2026 H1.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~42 | -33% from fiscal 2025 (63) | Not itemized in fiscal 2026 H1 public data | Cupertino, Austin, NYC, Seattle |
Top SOC codes: Software Developers, Hardware Engineers, Machine Learning Engineers, Industrial Designers, Operations Research Analysts.
Apple's E-3 pullback is the steepest among the Big Five. The roles that remain are concentrated in core engineering and design, not operations or marketing.
The Cupertino headquarters accounts for the majority of Apple's E-3 filings. Austin, NYC, and Seattle are secondary hubs with smaller volumes.
Target Apple selectively rather than as a high-volume play. Core engineering and hardware design roles are where the E-3 pipeline is most active, and those are the openings where your chances are strongest for a specialty occupation LCA.
5. Microsoft
Microsoft is among the top E-3 visa sponsors in 2026, with 42 certified E-3 LCA filings annualized in fiscal 2026 H1.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~42 | -19% from fiscal 2025 (52) | Not itemized in fiscal 2026 H1 public data | Redmond WA (primary), Bay Area, NYC, Atlanta |
Top SOC codes: Software Developers, Cloud Engineers, AI/ML Engineers, Program Managers, Information Security Analysts.
Microsoft's E-3 hiring is concentrated in Redmond, with smaller volumes in the Bay Area, NYC, and Atlanta. The Azure and AI divisions are still actively hiring even as headline volumes have softened in fiscal 2026 H1.
Washington state has no personal income tax, which meaningfully improves take-home on a Redmond offer versus a comparable California offer at the same nominal salary.
Azure and AI engineering roles are the strongest E-3 targets at Microsoft. The Redmond campus is where most E-3 filings originate, so if you're targeting a specific division, confirm location before applying.
6. Meta
Meta remains a top E-3 visa sponsor in 2026, with the highest average certified wages of any Big Tech sponsor in the fiscal 2026 H1 dataset.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verify from DOL OFLC data | Verify from DOL OFLC data | ~$237,000 | Menlo Park (primary), NYC, Seattle, Bellevue |
Top SOC codes: Software Developers, Research Scientists, Product Managers, Data Scientists, ML Engineers.
Meta's exact fiscal 2026 H1 filing count wasn't published in the initial quarterly data release. Verify the current count from the DOL OFLC quarterly disclosure before applying. The average certified wage shown in the table is from the fiscal 2026 H1 dataset and reflects Meta's concentration in senior IC and research roles rather than entry-level or operations filings.
Reality Labs and AI research are the most active hiring divisions. Menlo Park accounts for the majority of filings. NYC and Seattle are meaningful secondary hubs.
For experienced engineers and researchers, Meta is one of the highest-paying E-3 sponsors in the country. The average wage reflects the seniority of roles filed, not an entry-level baseline, so calibrate your expectations to the senior end of the market.
7. Anthropic
Anthropic is the fastest-growing E-3 visa sponsor in 2026, with filings growing dramatically from their fiscal 2025 level.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~30 | +500% from fiscal 2025 (5) | ~$222,000 | San Francisco (primary), NYC, Seattle |
Top SOC codes: Software Developers, Research Scientists, ML Engineers, Information Security Analysts.
The absolute numbers are still small, but Anthropic's E-3 sponsorship is growing at a multiple of any traditional sponsor. The lab is scaling headcount aggressively across engineering, safety research, and model research.
If you have strong AI credentials, the E-3 is a faster path than the H-1B lottery. There's no random selection and no annual cap that's ever been tested in practice, so an offer can move directly to consulate interview without the March lottery delay. Anthropic's immigration team has processed enough E-3s to run it as a routine filing.
Engineering, safety research, and model research roles dominate the Anthropic E-3 mix. If the fiscal 2026 trajectory holds, Anthropic will be in the top five sponsors within two years.
Treat Anthropic as a top-tier target, not a high-volume one. Check the OFLC performance data for recent Anthropic filing dates before you apply, since the hiring mix shifts quarter to quarter.
8. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (U.S.)
Commonwealth Bank of Australia's U.S. operation is among the top E-3 visa sponsors in 2026, with 24 certified filings annualized as it scales its New York presence.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~24 | Materially higher than fiscal 2025 (climbing) | $150K–$220K for finance and tech roles | NYC (primary) |
Top SOC codes: Financial Analysts, Software Developers, Data Scientists, Risk Analysts, Operations Research Analysts.
CBA's U.S. arm mirrors Macquarie's expansion pattern: an Australian financial institution using the E-3 to move Australian talent into a growing U.S. office. The NYC team is building out across finance, risk, and engineering functions.
CBA's growth trajectory in fiscal 2026 tracks AustralianSuper's U.S. expansion, which also appears in the "other sponsors to watch" section below. The pattern is consistent: major Australian financial institutions scaling New York operations with Australian talent.
CBA is a strong target for Australian finance, risk, and engineering professionals who want to work for an Australian-headquartered firm in NYC. CBA's immigration team is already running the E-3 process routinely. Ask during the offer stage which entity will be your LCA filer.
9. OpenAI
OpenAI is among the fastest-growing E-3 visa sponsors in 2026, with filings growing sharply from their fiscal 2025 level.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~22 | +214% from fiscal 2025 (7) | ~$321,000 | San Francisco (primary), NYC |
Top SOC codes: Research Scientists, Software Developers, ML Engineers, Applied Researchers.
Like Anthropic, OpenAI's absolute volume is still small but the growth rate is the story. OpenAI's average certified wage is meaningfully higher than Anthropic's, reflecting a heavier mix of senior research scientists rather than engineering generalists.
San Francisco is the primary location. NYC is a smaller but growing presence.
OpenAI is highly competitive to break into, so treat it as a top-tier target rather than a high-volume one. To be competitive here, you need deep AI credentials and published work at the senior research or ML level. The growth trajectory suggests OpenAI will continue climbing the rankings through fiscal 2026 and 2027.
10. Atlassian
Atlassian is a steady E-3 visa sponsor in 2026, leveraging its Australian roots to bring Sydney-based talent into U.S. operations.
| fiscal 2026 filings (annualized) | YoY change | Avg certified wage | Top locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~12 | Steady | $150K–$220K | San Francisco (primary), NYC, Austin, Bellevue |
Top SOC codes: Software Developers, Product Managers, UX Designers, Engineering Managers.
Atlassian is the most familiar Australian-founded global tech company to E-3 candidates, and its U.S. offices regularly hire Sydney transfers as well as direct U.S. applicants.
The volume is smaller than the U.S.-headquartered tech giants, but the cultural familiarity for Australian candidates is unmatched, and Atlassian's immigration team has processed enough E-3s to run the filing as routine.
If you want continuity with the Australian tech scene while building a U.S. career, Atlassian's cultural pipeline is the strongest of any company on this list. San Francisco is the primary U.S. hub. NYC, Austin, and Bellevue are secondary.
Other E-3 visa sponsors to watch in 2026
A handful of smaller sponsors are worth tracking even though they didn't crack the top ten.
- AustralianSuper U.S. filed 20 LCAs annualized in fiscal 2026 H1, up from 5 in fiscal 2025. The NYC office is hiring across investment management functions, and the growth fits the broader Australian financial institution expansion pattern visible in Macquarie and CBA.
- Rokt files 18 LCAs annualized. It's an Australian-founded ad-tech company headquartered in NYC, with competitive wages and a strong internal Aussie community.
- Baseten Labs filed 14 LCAs in fiscal 2026 H1 as a new entrant. It's an AI infrastructure startup based in San Francisco.
- Lorikeet AI is another new fiscal 2026 entrant at 10 filings. It's an AI startup with Australian co-founders.
Big Law firms certify the highest wages in the dataset despite low filing volume. Most filings are lateral moves from Australian Big Six firms into U.S. counsel roles.
| Company | Category | Avg certified wage (fiscal 2026 H1) |
|---|---|---|
| Simpson Thacher | Big Law | ~$376,000 |
| Allen Overy Shearman Sterling | Big Law | ~$343,000 |
| Kirkland and Ellis | Big Law | ~$333,000 |
| PSA Airlines | Aviation (pilots) | ~$350,000 |
E-3 visa hiring trends to watch in 2026
The mix of E-3 visa sponsor companies has shifted noticeably in 2026, even as total program volume has stayed flat at 10,000 filings per year.
AI labs are scaling fast.
Anthropic's E-3 filings grew 500% year over year and OpenAI's grew 214%, with new entrants Baseten Labs and Lorikeet AI appearing for the first time. For candidates with strong AI credentials, E-3 specialty occupation qualification is the key threshold. The Bay Area and NYC are the two metros benefiting most from this growth.
Big Tech is pulling back.
Filing counts for Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Google all declined in fiscal 2026 H1 versus fiscal 2025. Specific YoY figures are in each company's table above. They're still the largest sponsors overall but the door is narrower than it was a year ago.
Australian-owned firms are scaling U.S. operations.
Macquarie's three entities collectively form the largest Australian-owned E-3 sponsor, AustralianSuper U.S. is growing fast (20 LCAs annualized versus 5 in fiscal 2025), CBA is climbing, and Atlassian is steady. The industry-level breakdown shows how financial services and tech dominate this growth pattern.
Wages keep climbing.
Per OFLC LCA performance data, the average certified E-3 wage rose from $132,175 in fiscal 2020 to $171,671 in fiscal 2026 H1 (up from $165,317 in fiscal 2025), a 30% nominal increase.
Big Law and AI labs dominate the high end. Big Law firms average the highest wages per certified filing, followed by AI labs, with Big Tech below that tier. See individual company tables above for specific figures.
How to evaluate an E-3 visa sponsor
Three signals tell you whether a company will sponsor your E-3 visa: their recent LCA filing history, the wage levels they certify, and their internal immigration counsel.
LCA filing history is the most direct signal.
Any company with one or more certified E-3 LCAs in the past two years has done it before and has internal process to do it again. Companies with multiple filings per quarter have it down to a routine, and the DOL OFLC performance data lets you check filing dates and locations down to the individual employer.
Wage level on prior LCAs tells you something about the role seniority.
The prevailing wage system has four levels, ranging from Level 1 (entry) to Level 4 (highest). A company that consistently certifies at Level 3 to 4 is hiring senior talent, while a senior role filed at Level 1 wages is worth questioning before you accept.
Internal immigration counsel versus an external firm matters less than people think.
Large employers in this dataset handle E-3 sponsorship through internal immigration teams. Smaller employers use external counsel. Either is fine, but ask during the interview so you know what to expect on timeline and communication.
H-1B and H-1B1 filings work as a useful proxy. A company without E-3 history but with active H-1B filings is already set up to sponsor work visas. The E-3 visa costs less and has fewer steps than H-1B, so any employer that runs H-1B sponsorship can do E-3 with minimal additional effort.
Find E-3 visa sponsoring jobs at these companies
Migrate Mate's job board filter uses the same DOL LCA dataset behind this article, so the "verified sponsor" tag means the employer has actually certified E-3 or related petitions. You can filter by employer to target a specific company on this list, or filter by industry to find sponsors in your sector.
Find jobs at companies that have sponsored E-3 visas
Find E-3 sponsoring jobsOnce you have an offer from one of these companies, the next step is filing. Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service handles the LCA coordination, DS-160 preparation, document review, and consulate interview slot booking, at $499 flat, with a 100% approval rate and application filed within one business day.
Got an offer from one of these companies? File your E-3 visa.
Find E-3 filing helpFrequently asked questions
Will a company that's never sponsored an E-3 visa be willing to sponsor mine?
It depends on whether they sponsor other work visas. A company with active H-1B or H-1B1 filings is procedurally set up for the E-3, since the same LCA process applies. A company with no work visa filings at all is a tougher ask but not impossible. Expect to spend time educating their HR team on the E-3's lower complexity versus the H-1B.
Do smaller companies and startups sponsor E-3 visas?
Yes, frequently. The E-3 doesn't require the employer to be a certain size, and there's no lottery to navigate. Startups with even one prior E-3 filing in the public LCA data are reliable indicators, and many AI labs and fintech startups in this dataset were sub-100 headcount when they first sponsored.
Does the company need to have an office in a specific U.S. city to sponsor me?
Yes. The LCA specifies the work location, and your E-3 status is tied to that location. If the company is remote-first, the LCA still lists a specific worksite (often the employee's home address) and your status is tied to that.
How is the E-3 visa different from the H-1B for sponsoring companies?
The E-3 has no lottery, no annual cap that's ever been hit, lower fees, and a simpler petition process. From the company's perspective, it's significantly easier to sponsor an Australian on E-3 than an applicant of any other nationality on H-1B. This is often a strong argument when you're trying to convince a hesitant employer.
Why does Macquarie show up as multiple entities in the LCA data?
Macquarie's U.S. operations file LCAs under three separate legal entities: Macquarie Holdings USA, Macquarie Global Services USA, and Macquarie Asset Management U.S.. The candidate experience is similar across all three, but the entity name on your LCA will depend on which Macquarie division is hiring you.
How accurate are the 2026 numbers in this article?
The fiscal 2026 figures are H1 actuals (October 2025 through March 2026) doubled to produce an annualized projection. Final fiscal 2026 numbers will be available after the September 2026 quarter closes. Some employers front-load filings in Q1 and Q2, others spread them more evenly, so treat the annualized numbers as directional rather than committed.
Who can sponsor an E-3 visa?
Any U.S. employer with a legitimate specialty occupation role and the ability to pay the prevailing wage can sponsor an E-3. There's no minimum company size, no industry restriction, and no quota on how many E-3s a single employer can file in a year. The employer's only obligation before your visa interview is to file a Labor Condition Application with the DOL.
What does it cost a company to sponsor an E-3 visa?
The LCA filing is free. The DOL charges no fee to certify a Labor Condition Application. For initial E-3 applications filed at a consulate (the most common path for Australian candidates), there's no USCIS petition and no USCIS fee. The employer typically pays only attorney fees if they use outside counsel for the LCA and offer letter, which is why many companies find the E-3 a lower-cost option than the H-1B. The DOL E-3 fact sheet covers employer obligations in full.
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.
