Economist Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship

Economist is a textbook specialty occupation, making H-1B visa sponsorship straightforward from a legal standpoint. Federal agencies, think tanks, consulting firms, universities, and financial institutions all sponsor economists regularly. J-1 visa research scholar visas are also common in academic settings. If you've got a master's or PhD, you're in even stronger position since many economist roles genuinely require advanced degrees. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.

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Overview

Open Jobs63+
Top Visa TypeH-1B
Work Type67% On-site
Median Salary$188K
Top LocationNew York, NY
Most JobsAmazon.com

Showing 5 of 63+ Economist jobs

Amazon.com
Economist
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Amazon.com
New 2h ago
Economist
Amazon.com
Culver City, California
Data Science & Analytics
Strategy & Corporate Development
Data Science
Business Strategy
$136,000/yr - $212,800/yr
Hybrid
2+ yrs exp.
Doctorate
10,000+

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State of New Mexico
Economist
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State of New Mexico
Added 1w ago
Economist
State of New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Procurement & Supply Chain
Compliance & Legal
Business Analysis
Procurement & Purchasing
$35/hr - $53/hr
On-Site
2+ yrs exp.
Associate's
10,000+

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Compass
Economist
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Compass
Added 2w ago
Economist
Compass
Seattle, Washington
Research & Academia
Data Science & Analytics
Business Analysis
Data Science
$162,500/yr - $180,500/yr
On-Site
2+ yrs exp.
Master's

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Pareto
Economist
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Pareto
Added 3w ago
Economist
Pareto
Remote
Data Science & Analytics
Research & Academia
Data Science
Data Analytics
$110/hr
Remote (US)
2+ yrs exp.
Doctorate

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Navan
Economist
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Navan
Added 2mo ago
Economist
Navan
San Francisco, California
Business Analysis
Data Science & Analytics
Content & Communications
Data Science
Data Analytics
Communications
$172,000/yr - $265,000/yr
On-Site
5+ yrs exp.
Master's

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Tips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as an Economist

Target Federal Reserve banks for economist positions

The twelve Federal Reserve regional banks (New York, Chicago, San Francisco, etc.) regularly hire international economists for research and policy roles. These are private institutions that sponsor H-1B visas, and they offer competitive compensation along with strong research environments.

Consider economic consulting firms that sponsor routinely

Firms like Analysis Group, Cornerstone Research, NERA Economic Consulting, and Charles River Associates specialize in litigation and regulatory economics. They hire economists at both the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral levels and have established visa sponsorship processes.

Leverage your Ph.D. for advanced degree H-1B exemption

Economists with a U.S. master's or doctoral degree qualify for the H-1B advanced degree exemption, which provides an additional selection opportunity in the lottery. Given that most economist positions favor advanced degrees, this exemption can meaningfully improve your odds.

Publish working papers to build your EB-1 or NIW case early

Working papers in NBER, SSRN, or Federal Reserve discussion series count as evidence of scholarly contribution. Start building a publication pipeline during graduate school, as a strong body of economic research can support an EB-1A extraordinary ability or EB-2 NIW petition.

Highlight econometric and causal inference skills in applications

Employers sponsoring economists value specific methodological expertise in causal inference, structural estimation, or machine learning applications to economic data. Demonstrating proficiency in tools like Stata, MATLAB, or Python for economic modeling strengthens both your job candidacy and the specialty occupation argument.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do employers sponsor H-1B visas for economists?

Yes, economists are frequently sponsored for H-1B visas in the U.S. Federal agencies, economic consulting firms, financial institutions, and universities are the most common sponsors. The SOC code 19-3011 (Economists) is well-established as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in economics.

Can economists qualify for EB-2 National Interest Waiver green cards?

Economists whose research has demonstrated influence on public policy, trade, or economic development may qualify for an EB-2 NIW. This pathway allows self-petitioning without employer sponsorship. Evidence like published economic analyses, policy citations, government advisory roles, and a Ph.D. in economics can strengthen the case.

How to find Economist jobs with visa sponsorship?

Use Migrate Mate to find Economist positions with visa sponsorship opportunities. Focus on roles at government agencies, research institutions, financial services firms, and multinational corporations that commonly sponsor H-1B, O-1, or EB-2 visas for economists. Target positions in economic research, policy analysis, financial modeling, and consulting where specialized economic expertise is valued and visa sponsorship is more readily available.

Which government agencies hire international economists?

The Federal Reserve System, Bureau of Labor Statistics, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and Congressional Budget Office all hire economists and have sponsored visas. The IMF and World Bank use G-4 visas for international organization employees, which is a separate pathway from H-1B. Federal Reserve regional banks are private institutions that sponsor H-1B petitions.

Is a Ph.D. required for economist visa sponsorship?

A Ph.D. is not strictly required, but it significantly strengthens your candidacy. Most economist positions at research institutions, federal agencies, and top consulting firms prefer or require doctoral training. A master's degree in economics with strong quantitative skills can qualify for H-1B sponsorship at some employers, particularly in the private sector.

What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Economist jobs?

When a U.S. employer sponsors a foreign worker for a work visa, they are legally required to pay at least the "prevailing wage" — the average wage paid to workers in the same occupation, in the same geographic area, with similar experience. This is set by the Department of Labor to prevent employers from hiring foreign workers at below-market rates. The prevailing wage varies significantly by role, location, and experience level — for example, a economist in New York will have a different prevailing wage than the same role in a smaller state. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search.

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