Software Engineer AI Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California

California leads the U.S. in AI-focused software engineering hiring, with major employers like Google, Meta, Apple, and OpenAI concentrated in the Bay Area, and a growing cluster of AI startups in Los Angeles. Most roles require deep experience in machine learning frameworks, large language models, or AI infrastructure, and many companies have established H-1B sponsorship programs.

See All Software Engineer AI Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs2,431+
Top Visa TypeH-1B
Work Type76% On-site
Salary Range$164K – $447K
Top LocationSan Francisco, CA
Most JobsApple

Showing 5 of 2,431+ Software Engineer AI Jobs in California with Visa Sponsorship jobs

Gallup, Inc.
Staff Software Engineer — AI
We won't show you this job again
Gallup, Inc.
Added 6d ago
Staff Software Engineer — AI
Gallup, Inc.
San Francisco, California
Software Engineering
Cloud & DevOps
Data Science & Analytics
Technical Product & Program Management
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Cloud Engineering
Backend Engineering
$240,000 - $290,000/yr
Hybrid
Associate's

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)
Walmart
Distinguished Software Engineer - AI/ML Engineer
We won't show you this job again
Walmart
Added 1w ago
Distinguished Software Engineer - AI/ML Engineer
Walmart
Sunnyvale, California
Software Engineering
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
ML (Machine Learning)
Backend Engineering
$169,000/yr - $338,000/yr
On-Site
6+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)
Nvidia
Senior Software Engineer, AI Web Products
We won't show you this job again
Nvidia
Added 1w ago
Senior Software Engineer, AI Web Products
Nvidia
Santa Clara, California
Software Engineering
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Backend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
$184,000 - $287,500/yr
Remote (US)
Associate's

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)
Linkedin
Sr. Staff Software Engineer, AI Infra
We won't show you this job again
Linkedin
Added 1w ago
Sr. Staff Software Engineer, AI Infra
Linkedin
Mountain View, California
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
Cloud & DevOps
Technical Product & Program Management
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
Backend Engineering
Not listed
Hybrid
5+ yrs exp.
Associate's

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)
Zip Co US Inc.
Software Engineer, AI Foundation (Mid-Senior level)
We won't show you this job again
Zip Co US Inc.
Added 2w ago
Software Engineer, AI Foundation (Mid-Senior level)
Zip Co US Inc.
San Francisco, California
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
Cloud & DevOps
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Backend Engineering
Not listed
On-Site
3+ yrs exp.
Associate's

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)

See all 2,431+ Software Engineer AI Jobs in California with Visa Sponsorship

Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Software Engineer AI Jobs in California with Visa Sponsorship.

Get Access To All Jobs

Software Engineer AI Job Roles in California

Software Engineering2,379 jobs
AI (Artificial Intelligence)2,050 jobs
Data Science & Analytics1,214 jobs
ML (Machine Learning)1,147 jobs
Data Science1,133 jobs
Backend Engineering694 jobs
Cloud & DevOps522 jobs
Technical Product & Program Management457 jobs
Data Engineering377 jobs
Technical Program Management245 jobs

See all 2,431+ Software Engineer AI Jobs in California

Sign up for free to filter by visa type, set job alerts, and find employers with verified sponsorship history.

Search Software Engineer AI Jobs in California

Software Engineer AI Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

Which companies sponsor visas for software engineer AIs in California?

California's largest H-1B sponsors for AI software engineering roles include Google, Meta, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia, all with substantial Bay Area or Los Angeles offices. AI-native companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Scale AI, and Databricks have also consistently sponsored H-1B and O-1 petitions for engineers working on machine learning systems, model training infrastructure, and applied AI products.

Which visa types are most common for software engineer AI roles in California?

The H-1B is the most common visa for AI software engineers in California, as these roles typically require at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, machine learning, or a closely related field, meeting the specialty occupation standard. Engineers with exceptional research records or published work may qualify for the O-1A. Australians may pursue the E-3, which has no lottery and is available year-round.

Which cities in California have the most software engineer AI sponsorship jobs?

San Francisco and the broader Bay Area, including San Jose, Mountain View, and Palo Alto, account for the largest share of AI software engineering sponsorship jobs in California. Los Angeles has grown significantly as a secondary hub, driven by companies like Snap, SpaceX, and a dense cluster of generative AI startups. San Diego also has relevant hiring, particularly in defense-adjacent AI and biomedical AI.

How to find software engineer ai visa sponsorship jobs in California?

Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, making it straightforward to find AI software engineering roles in California without sorting through positions that don't sponsor. You can search by job title and filter to California-based openings, focusing on companies with a track record of H-1B or O-1 filings in machine learning, NLP, computer vision, and related AI specializations.

Are there state-specific considerations for AI software engineers seeking sponsorship in California?

California's prevailing wage requirements for H-1B roles are among the highest in the U.S., set by the Department of Labor based on the San Francisco or Los Angeles metropolitan area, which directly affects the minimum wage your employer must certify on the Labor Condition Application. Additionally, California's large university pipeline from UC Berkeley, Stanford, and UCLA means competition for sponsored AI roles is significant, and employers often prioritize candidates with graduate-level AI research experience.

What is the prevailing wage for sponsored software engineer ai jobs in California?

U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.

See which software engineer ai employers are hiring and sponsoring visas in California right now.

Search Software Engineer AI Jobs in California