H-1B Visa Economist Jobs
Economist roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations under USCIS because they require at least a bachelor's degree in economics or a closely related field. Federal agencies, research institutions, financial firms, and consulting companies all sponsor H-1B visa petitions for economists, and the position's clear degree requirement makes LCA certification straightforward.
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Get Access To All JobsLevel Up Your Career with Zynga!
At Zynga, we bring people together through the power of play. As a global leader in interactive entertainment and a proud label of Take-Two Interactive, our games have been downloaded over 6 billion times—connecting players in 175+ countries through fun, strategy, and a little friendly competition.
From thrilling casino spins to epic strategy battles, mind-bending puzzles, and social word challenges, our diverse game portfolio has something for everyone. Fan-favorites and latest hits include FarmVille™, Words With Friends™, Zynga Poker™, Game of Thrones Slots Casino™, Wizard of Oz Slots™, Hit it Rich! Slots™, Wonka Slots™, Top Eleven™, Toon Blast™, Empires & Puzzles™, Merge Dragons!™, CSR Racing™, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells™, Match Factory™, and Color Block Jam™—plus many more!
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in California, our teams span North America, Europe, and Asia, working together to craft unforgettable gaming experiences. Whether you're spinning, strategizing, matching, or competing, Zynga is where fun meets innovation—and where you can take your career to the next level.
Join us and be part of the play!
Position Overview:
Zynga is looking for a strategic, analytical, and hands-on Principal Product Economist with experience in mobile games to join the world's biggest social poker game! As an economy designer, you will oversee, implement and tune the in-game economy while optimizing user experience. You will utilize methodologies from economics, behavioral psychology, and business intelligence to strategically design and maintain a healthy free-to-play mobile game economy. The economy systems you will build and manage are core to game progression, reward payouts, and overall game economy balance.
You will lead the conceptualization, modeling, and continuous optimization of the game's economy - driving player engagement, retention, and monetization through data-informed design and smart experimentation.
What You'll Do:
- Own the live operations economy and collaborate closely with product managers and analysts to define and execute its strategic direction. Act as the point of contact and subject-matter expert on all live operations economic aspects.
- Design and implement essential features that create a fun player experience, further the strategic vision of the product, and improve retention, acquisition, and monetization.
- Model, simulate, and tune complex economy systems including multiple currencies, sinks, faucets, and progression loops.
- Use A/B testing and other analytical methods to validate hypotheses, measure outcomes, and optimize performance.
- Proactively identify and improve underperforming systems, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance player experience and revenue.
- Develop predictive models and simulations to anticipate player behavior and maintain a stable, scalable economy.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure economic systems integrate seamlessly with design, live ops, and monetization initiatives.
- Communicate economic insights and design rationales effectively to stakeholders and leadership.
- Stay up to date with market trends and perform proactive analyses of economy tuning in relevant competitive products.
What You Bring:
- 5+ years of experience working on digital games, at least 3+ years focused on economy design.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong presentation abilities, and the capacity to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
- Self-motivated, with the ability to balance multiple projects in parallel while working in a collaborative, agile environment with aggressive deadlines and shifting priorities.
- Autodidactic, with the ability to quickly learn new systems and tools, interpret technical specifications, understand feature configurations, and independently explore how game systems and economic models operate.
- Skilled at modeling and simulating planned changes, anticipating downstream effects, and adjusting prior to release.
- Analytical, detail-oriented, and capable of providing actionable solutions at every stage of the process.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel and SQL. Python experience is a plus.
- Passion for mobile and/or casino games.
What we offer:
Zynga offers a world-class benefits package that helps support and balance the needs of our teams. To find out more about our benefits, visit the Zynga Benefits site.
The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $133,000 to $183,000 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.
The pay range for this position in Toronto at the start of employment is expected to be between $114,000 to $160,000 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.
Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program.
Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company's discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses. The use of Artificial Intelligence is not being used to screen candidates. The position is for an existing vacancy.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, which means we are committed to creating and celebrating diverse thoughts, cultures, and backgrounds throughout our organization. Employment with us is based on substantive ability, objective qualifications, and work ethic – not an individual's race, creed, color, religion, sex or gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, alienage or citizenship status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, status as a victim of domestic violence or sex offenses, reproductive health decision, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to providing the necessary support and accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities, health conditions, or impairments (subject to any local qualifying requirements) to ensure their full participation in the job application or interview process. Please contact us at accommodationrequest@zynga.com to request any accommodations or for support related to your application for an open position.
Please be aware that Zynga does not conduct job interviews or make job offers over third-party messaging apps such as Telegram, WhatsApp, or others. Zynga also does not engage in any financial exchanges during the recruitment or onboarding process, and will never ask a candidate for their personal or financial information over an app or other unofficial chat channel. Any attempt to do so may be the result of a scam or phishing attack, and you should not engage. Zynga's in-house recruitment team will only contact individuals through their official Company email addresses (i.e., via a zynga.com, take2games.com, naturalmotion.com, smallgiantgames.com, themavens.com, gram.gs email domain).
Level Up Your Career with Zynga!
At Zynga, we bring people together through the power of play. As a global leader in interactive entertainment and a proud label of Take-Two Interactive, our games have been downloaded over 6 billion times—connecting players in 175+ countries through fun, strategy, and a little friendly competition.
From thrilling casino spins to epic strategy battles, mind-bending puzzles, and social word challenges, our diverse game portfolio has something for everyone. Fan-favorites and latest hits include FarmVille™, Words With Friends™, Zynga Poker™, Game of Thrones Slots Casino™, Wizard of Oz Slots™, Hit it Rich! Slots™, Wonka Slots™, Top Eleven™, Toon Blast™, Empires & Puzzles™, Merge Dragons!™, CSR Racing™, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells™, Match Factory™, and Color Block Jam™—plus many more!
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in California, our teams span North America, Europe, and Asia, working together to craft unforgettable gaming experiences. Whether you're spinning, strategizing, matching, or competing, Zynga is where fun meets innovation—and where you can take your career to the next level.
Join us and be part of the play!
Position Overview:
Zynga is looking for a strategic, analytical, and hands-on Principal Product Economist with experience in mobile games to join the world's biggest social poker game! As an economy designer, you will oversee, implement and tune the in-game economy while optimizing user experience. You will utilize methodologies from economics, behavioral psychology, and business intelligence to strategically design and maintain a healthy free-to-play mobile game economy. The economy systems you will build and manage are core to game progression, reward payouts, and overall game economy balance.
You will lead the conceptualization, modeling, and continuous optimization of the game's economy - driving player engagement, retention, and monetization through data-informed design and smart experimentation.
What You'll Do:
- Own the live operations economy and collaborate closely with product managers and analysts to define and execute its strategic direction. Act as the point of contact and subject-matter expert on all live operations economic aspects.
- Design and implement essential features that create a fun player experience, further the strategic vision of the product, and improve retention, acquisition, and monetization.
- Model, simulate, and tune complex economy systems including multiple currencies, sinks, faucets, and progression loops.
- Use A/B testing and other analytical methods to validate hypotheses, measure outcomes, and optimize performance.
- Proactively identify and improve underperforming systems, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance player experience and revenue.
- Develop predictive models and simulations to anticipate player behavior and maintain a stable, scalable economy.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure economic systems integrate seamlessly with design, live ops, and monetization initiatives.
- Communicate economic insights and design rationales effectively to stakeholders and leadership.
- Stay up to date with market trends and perform proactive analyses of economy tuning in relevant competitive products.
What You Bring:
- 5+ years of experience working on digital games, at least 3+ years focused on economy design.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong presentation abilities, and the capacity to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
- Self-motivated, with the ability to balance multiple projects in parallel while working in a collaborative, agile environment with aggressive deadlines and shifting priorities.
- Autodidactic, with the ability to quickly learn new systems and tools, interpret technical specifications, understand feature configurations, and independently explore how game systems and economic models operate.
- Skilled at modeling and simulating planned changes, anticipating downstream effects, and adjusting prior to release.
- Analytical, detail-oriented, and capable of providing actionable solutions at every stage of the process.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel and SQL. Python experience is a plus.
- Passion for mobile and/or casino games.
What we offer:
Zynga offers a world-class benefits package that helps support and balance the needs of our teams. To find out more about our benefits, visit the Zynga Benefits site.
The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $133,000 to $183,000 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.
The pay range for this position in Toronto at the start of employment is expected to be between $114,000 to $160,000 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.
Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program.
Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company's discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses. The use of Artificial Intelligence is not being used to screen candidates. The position is for an existing vacancy.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, which means we are committed to creating and celebrating diverse thoughts, cultures, and backgrounds throughout our organization. Employment with us is based on substantive ability, objective qualifications, and work ethic – not an individual's race, creed, color, religion, sex or gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, alienage or citizenship status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, status as a victim of domestic violence or sex offenses, reproductive health decision, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to providing the necessary support and accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities, health conditions, or impairments (subject to any local qualifying requirements) to ensure their full participation in the job application or interview process. Please contact us at accommodationrequest@zynga.com to request any accommodations or for support related to your application for an open position.
Please be aware that Zynga does not conduct job interviews or make job offers over third-party messaging apps such as Telegram, WhatsApp, or others. Zynga also does not engage in any financial exchanges during the recruitment or onboarding process, and will never ask a candidate for their personal or financial information over an app or other unofficial chat channel. Any attempt to do so may be the result of a scam or phishing attack, and you should not engage. Zynga's in-house recruitment team will only contact individuals through their official Company email addresses (i.e., via a zynga.com, take2games.com, naturalmotion.com, smallgiantgames.com, themavens.com, gram.gs email domain).
See all 43+ H-1B Visa Economist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Economist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as an Economist
Match your degree field to the role
USCIS requires a direct relationship between your degree and the economist position. A degree in economics, applied mathematics, or econometrics supports the specialty occupation claim. A business administration degree alone may trigger an RFE asking for equivalency evidence.
Look up prevailing wages 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 find the wage level that matches your experience tier before salary discussions begin.
Target federal contractors and research institutions
Federal agencies and federally funded research organizations file H-1B petitions regularly for economist roles and are often cap-exempt or have predictable sponsorship pipelines. Prioritize employers with active LCA filings in your specialty, such as labor economics or macroeconomic analysis.
Filter employers by verified H-1B filing history on Migrate Mate
Search Migrate Mate to identify companies with confirmed H-1B LCA filings for economist job titles. This filters out employers who express openness to sponsorship but have no filing history, saving you from offers that stall at the petition stage.
Clarify your work location before LCA filing
If your role involves remote work or placements at client sites, your employer must file a separate LCA for each worksite county. Confirm the primary and any secondary work addresses before USCIS petition submission to avoid compliance issues.
Request premium processing if your start date is fixed
USCIS premium processing upgrades adjudication to 15 business days. For economist roles tied to a government contract start date or an academic semester, ask your employer to include premium processing in the I-129 filing to avoid timeline risk.
H-1B Visa Economist: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an economist role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. Economist positions qualify because USCIS defines specialty occupation as requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field, and economics meets that standard directly. The O*NET occupation profile for economists confirms a typical entry requirement of a master's or doctoral degree, which strengthens the specialty occupation argument further.
Which employers sponsor H-1B visas for economists?
Federal agencies, think tanks, financial institutions, consulting firms, and universities all sponsor H-1B petitions for economists. Federal contractors are particularly active because their project-based hiring aligns with the H-1B's employer-specific structure. You can browse employers with verified LCA filing history for economist roles on Migrate Mate before applying.
How does the DOL prevailing wage apply to economist positions?
Your employer must pay at least the DOL prevailing wage for your SOC code, job duties, and worksite location before filing the LCA. Economist roles span wage levels one through four depending on experience and supervisory responsibility. A mismatch between your actual duties and the wage level cited in the LCA is one of the most common compliance errors in economist H-1B filings.
Can I switch employers mid-H-1B if I get a better economist offer?
Yes. Under H-1B portability rules, you can start working for a new employer as soon as your new employer files an H-1B transfer petition, as long as your current status is valid and you've been in H-1B status for at least 180 days. Your new employer must file a new I-129 and LCA specific to your economist role and worksite.
Does my economics degree have to be from a U.S. university?
No. USCIS accepts foreign degrees if they are evaluated as equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree in economics or a related field. You'll need a credential evaluation from a recognized evaluation service, and your employer's attorney will include the evaluation in the I-129 petition. A three-year bachelor's degree may need supplemental coursework or experience to meet equivalency.