Skip to content
VisaRoles

H-1B sponsorship in 2026

Sponsorship didn't stop in 2026, but it did split in two. Where you are when the petition is filed now matters more than almost anything else on your application.

Checked September 2026

The $100,000 fee applies to new petitions from outside the US

Since 21 September 2025, a new H-1B petition for someone outside the United States carries a $100,000 fee. That is a real deterrent, and it is why some employers quietly stopped hiring from abroad.

It does not apply to a change of status filed while you are inside the country. A student moving from F-1 or STEM OPT to H-1B is exempt, which is why in-country candidates are still being hired at a normal pace.

What this means for your search

If you are already in the US on F-1, OPT or another status, most employers who sponsored last year still can, at ordinary cost. Your search looks much like it did before.

If you are outside the US, aim at employers with a track record of sponsoring from abroad, at roles senior enough to justify the cost, or at countries where the route is cheaper: the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany and Canada all sponsor tech roles without a comparable fee.

How to tell whether an employer really sponsors

Job postings are unreliable. Fewer than one in twenty US tech postings say anything about sponsorship, and some employers that file hundreds of H-1B applications still print “no sponsorship” on individual roles.

Two signals beat the posting text. First, how many H-1B applications the employer filed for tech roles in the last year. Second, whether those filings were new hires or transfers: an employer that mostly files transfers rarely takes someone who needs a first H-1B.

  • Filed many, mostly new hires: your best odds, in or out of the country.
  • Filed many, mostly transfers: good if you already hold an H-1B, weak otherwise.
  • Filed a handful: possible, but confirm before you invest time.
  • Posting rules it out: believe it, and move on.

Stop guessing which employers can hire you.

Every open role on VisaRoles carries its sponsorship verdict and the line it came from. Free, updated daily.

See employers that sponsor H-1B

Common questions

Does the $100,000 fee apply to students already in the US?
No. A change of status filed inside the United States, including F-1 or STEM OPT to H-1B, is exempt. Leaving the country while the petition is pending can undo that, so plan travel carefully.
Which companies still sponsor H-1B visas?
Employers that filed a meaningful number of applications in the past year. Our H-1B sponsor ranking lists them with volumes, salaries and whether they hire new visas or mostly transfers.
Is the H-1B lottery still a thing?
Yes, for new cap-subject petitions. Registration happens in March each year. Transfers and cap-exempt employers, such as universities and some non-profits, skip the lottery.

Official sources

General information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change and individual cases differ — confirm your own with a licensed immigration attorney.