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How to check if a company sponsors H-1B visas

LiveRec EditorialUpdated

US federal rules as of October 31, 2026. Each government page below was opened on October 31, 2026. A figure that could not be confirmed is left out and the official source is linked instead.

To check if a company sponsors H-1B visas, search the free USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub for its petition history, then look for its Labor Condition Applications in the Department of Labor's public disclosure files. Neither tells you whether the role you want will be sponsored, so confirm that with the employer in writing.

At a glance

  • USCIS shows petitions the employer filed and how USCIS first decided them.
  • DOL shows the wage and job title the employer attested to on a Labor Condition Application (LCA).
  • E-Verify enrollment is a separate program and does not show H-1B sponsorship.
  • All of this is history. Only the employer can confirm a current role.

Step 1. Look the company up in the USCIS Employer Data Hub

USCIS says the hub includes data from fiscal year 2009 through fiscal year 2026 (quarter 4) on employers that submitted H-1B petitions. You can query by fiscal year, employer name, city, state, ZIP code and NAICS code, and download results as Excel or CSV.

Read the counts like this:

  • Initial approvals: the employer has petitioned for a new H-1B worker.
  • Continuing approvals: the employer has extended or amended existing workers.
  • Denials: USCIS's first decision was a denial.

USCIS says the figures reflect its first decision on a petition, so later appeals or revocations are not counted, and pending petitions are left out. It also identifies employers by the last four digits of their tax identification number.

Step 2. Check the Labor Condition Applications

Before an employer files an H-1B petition, it must have a certified LCA from the Department of Labor. DOL's FLAG site says the employer attests to paying the higher of the actual wage or the prevailing wage, and that an LCA must not be submitted more than 6 months before the employment start date. See the LCA glossary entry.

DOL publishes LCA disclosure files on its OFLC performance data page. Search the file for the employer name and your job title. A match tells you the company has filed for roles like yours and at what wage. It does not tell you the company has an opening today.

Step 3. Understand what E-Verify does and does not show

E-Verify is the online system employers use to confirm employment eligibility from Form I-9. The E-Verify Employer Search lists employers that have enrolled, with their enrollment status, workforce size and hiring-site states. Enrollment is not the same as sponsoring, and some programs, such as STEM OPT, ask for it. See E-Verify in the glossary.

The search page says employers report their own data when they enroll, so a name you know may be missing, and that a multi-site company may have only some hiring sites enrolled. The page also noted a last-updated date of March 31, 2024 for the data when we opened it, so treat it as a rough guide.

Step 4. Compare the sources

SourceWhat it can tell youWhat it cannot tell you
USCIS Employer Data HubThe employer petitioned for H-1B workers and how manyWhether the role you want is open to sponsorship
DOL LCA disclosure filesJob titles and wages the employer attestedThat a worker was hired or a petition approved
E-Verify Employer SearchThe employer is or was enrolled in E-VerifyAnything about H-1B
The employer, in writingWhether this role will be sponsored nowNothing beyond what it commits to

Step 5. Ask the employer

Send one clear question to HR or the recruiter: whether this role is eligible for H-1B sponsorship, and whether the company has filed before. The sponsorship question guide has wording. Cap-exempt employers, such as many universities and research institutions, follow different timing; see H-1B cap-exempt employers.

Why can't I find the company?

  • Name mismatch. The hub shows the most common spelling per tax ID. Try the legal name, the parent company and common abbreviations.
  • Staffing or consulting firm. The petitioner may be a different company from the one you will work at.
  • New or recent filings. USCIS says it updates the hub quarterly, so recent petitions can be missing.
  • Data entry errors. USCIS notes that errors on forms and in manual data entry can affect employer names or locations.

Common mistakes

  • Treating a past approval as a promise that the company will sponsor you.
  • Paying anyone for a "verified sponsor list". USCIS and DOL data is free.
  • Relying on one source. Use the hub, the LCA files and a written answer together.
  • Ignoring warning signs such as upfront fees. See avoiding immigration scams.

FAQ

Does an LCA mean the company sponsored someone? No. An LCA is a step before a petition. Use the USCIS hub to see petitions.

Is E-Verify enrollment proof of H-1B sponsorship? No. It is a separate program.

Can I search by job title? The USCIS hub does not list job titles. The DOL LCA files do.

Where do I find companies that say they sponsor? Use the sponsorship filter described in how to find H-1B sponsor jobs.

Sources

This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.