H-1B Visa AI Specialist Jobs

AI Specialist roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations under the computer occupations category, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, or a directly related field. Employers filing H-1B petitions for these roles must certify a prevailing wage through a DOL Labor Condition Application before USCIS can approve your petition.

Find H-1B Visa AI Specialist Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs1,430+
Work Type74% On-site
Top LocationSan Francisco, CA
Most JobsApple

Showing 5 of 1,430+ AI Specialist jobs

STAAR Surgical
Sr. Director, Enterprise Artificial Intelligence
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STAAR Surgical
New 56m ago
Sr. Director, Enterprise Artificial Intelligence
STAAR Surgical
Lake Forest, California
Software Engineering
Strategy & Corporate Development
Project & Program Management
Technical Product & Program Management
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Business Strategy
Project Management
Technical Program Management
$200k - $300k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
201-500

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Anaplan
Senior Solution Consultant - AI Specialist
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Anaplan
New 2h ago
Senior Solution Consultant - AI Specialist
Anaplan
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
Technical Product & Program Management
Consulting & Professional Services
Solutions Engineering (Pre-Sales)
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
$112k - $160k/yr
On-Site
None
1,001-5,000

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City of Hope
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Automation Developer
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City of Hope
New 3h ago
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Automation Developer
City of Hope
Remote
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
Technical Product & Program Management
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
Technical Program Management
$48 - $77/hr
Remote (US)
Bachelor's
10,000+

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Stellantis
EEO Compliance, AI & Analytics Specialist
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Stellantis
New 8h ago
EEO Compliance, AI & Analytics Specialist
Stellantis
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Human Resources
Compliance & Legal
Data Science & Analytics
Data Science
Data Analytics
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

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Smart IT Frame LLC
Artificial Intelligence Engineer
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Smart IT Frame LLC
New 10h ago
Artificial Intelligence Engineer
Smart IT Frame LLC
Greater Hartford
Software Engineering
On-Site
None

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Tips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as an AI Specialist

Align your degree field to the role

USCIS scrutinizes whether your degree directly relates to AI Specialist duties. A degree in computer science or machine learning aligns cleanly. A business or general STEM degree needs supporting coursework transcripts or a credential evaluation to survive an RFE.

Check the prevailing wage before negotiating

Your employer's LCA must certify a wage at or above the DOL prevailing wage for your specific SOC code and work location. Use the OFLC Wage Search to verify the Level I through Level IV wage tiers before you accept an offer.

Target employers with cap-exempt affiliations

AI research roles at universities, nonprofit research institutions, and government-affiliated labs are cap-exempt, meaning your employer can file your H-1B petition outside the annual lottery window at any time of year.

Search LCA filing history on Migrate Mate

Before applying, verify that a company has actually filed H-1B Labor Condition Applications for AI roles. Migrate Mate surfaces DOL LCA filing history by employer and occupation code so you can confirm sponsorship history before reaching the offer stage.

Document your AI specialization precisely

USCIS O*NET classifies AI Specialist duties at Job Zone 4 and above. Your resume and the employer's support letter must map your specific tasks, such as training large language models or designing neural network architectures, to those defined specialty occupation duties.

File premium processing if your start date is fixed

If your employment start date is tied to a project deadline or OPT expiration, ask your employer to file premium processing with Form I-907. USCIS guarantees a decision within 15 business days, reducing the risk of a gap in work authorization.

H-1B Visa AI Specialist: Frequently Asked Questions

Does an AI Specialist role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?

Yes. USCIS classifies AI Specialist positions under computer occupations, which consistently meet the specialty occupation standard because the role normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, or a closely related field. If your job description includes tasks like model development, algorithm design, or ML pipeline engineering, the specialty occupation requirement is typically straightforward to satisfy.

Which employers sponsor H-1B visas for AI Specialist roles?

Technology companies, financial institutions running quantitative or risk modeling teams, healthcare systems building clinical AI tools, and defense contractors with AI research divisions are among the most active H-1B sponsors for these roles. Migrate Mate filters employers by DOL Labor Condition Application filing history, so you can identify companies that have sponsored AI Specialist positions rather than relying on job postings alone.

What happens to my H-1B status if I change AI Specialist roles mid-petition?

If you change employers after your H-1B petition is filed but before October 1, your new employer must file a fresh cap-subject petition in the next lottery cycle unless you already have an approved H-1B from a prior year. If you're transferring to a new employer after your H-1B is already active, your new employer files an H-1B transfer petition and you can start work as soon as USCIS receives it, under the portability provisions of AC21.

Can a startup sponsor my H-1B as an AI Specialist?

Yes, but startups face additional scrutiny. USCIS may issue an RFE questioning whether the company has enough complexity to require a specialty occupation hire, or whether an employer-employee relationship exists if you have equity or a board seat. Your employer's support letter should clearly define your supervised role, your reporting structure, and the specific AI projects requiring your degree-level expertise.

How does the H-1B lottery affect AI Specialist job searches?

The annual H-1B cap covers most private-sector AI Specialist roles, with registrations submitted in March and selections made before April 1 for an October 1 start date. If you're not selected, cap-exempt options include roles at qualifying nonprofit research organizations, universities, or government research facilities. F-1 OPT or STEM OPT authorization can bridge the gap while you wait for the next lottery cycle.