171,691 of the 411,215 open US jobs in our index (42%) are at companies with a record of sponsoring H-1B visas. Technical fields run much higher, with 62% of software engineering roles and 69% of hardware engineering roles at sponsors.
- Sponsors are hiring in every field, not just tech. Healthcare, sales and retail have the most open roles at sponsors.
- In engineering and AI fields, roughly two in three open roles are at sponsors.
- Students have more options than they might think, since 69% of open US internships are at sponsors.
- A sponsorship record tells you what a company has done before. Confirm sponsorship for the specific role.
01Where sponsors have the most open roles
Counted by raw numbers, the fields with the most open roles at H-1B sponsors are healthcare, sales, retail, operations and software engineering. That’s mostly because those fields are big to begin with.
- Healthcare19,808
- Sales16,215
- Retail13,027
- Operations12,287
- Software Engineering12,205
- Engineering12,014
- Finance7,081
- IT & Security6,694
- Mechanical Engineering5,797
- Facilities5,116
02Where sponsors make up most of the market
Share tells you more about your odds. In hardware engineering, QA, general engineering, AI and research, around two in three open roles are at companies with a sponsorship record. In healthcare it’s about one in three.
- Hardware Engineering69%
- QA & Testing68%
- Engineering65%
- AI & Machine Learning63%
- Research & Science63%
- Software Engineering62%
- Product Management62%
- Data & Analytics61%
- IT & Security58%
- Finance55%
- Sales48%
- Healthcare34%
03How the H-1B season works
Most new H-1B visas go through an annual lottery. Employers register candidates in March, and selections are announced by the end of the month. Petitions can be filed from April 1, and approved workers can start on October 1.
The lottery has 65,000 regular slots plus 20,000 for people with a US master’s degree or higher.
Some employers sit outside the lottery altogether. Universities, nonprofits affiliated with them, and nonprofit or government research organizations are cap-exempt, so they can sponsor H-1B visas at any time of year.
04How to time your search
- If you’re on F-1 OPT, start applying well before the March registration window so an employer has time to register you.
- If you missed the lottery, look at cap-exempt employers. Universities and research nonprofits hire all year.
- If you’re already on H-1B, changing employers usually doesn’t need a new lottery. Your new employer files a transfer petition.
05How to ask a recruiter about sponsorship
Hi [name], Thanks for reaching out about the [role] position. Before we go further, I want to be upfront. I’m on [F-1 OPT / H-1B] and would need [H-1B sponsorship / an H-1B transfer]. Is that something [company] supports for this role? Thanks, [your name]
FAQFrequently asked questions
Does a sponsorship record mean the job will sponsor me?
No. It means the company has sponsored H-1B visas before. Policies vary by role and team, so confirm with the recruiter.
How do I search only sponsor jobs?
Turn on the visa sponsor filter in Aplyr search, or browse visa sponsorship jobs.
How should I answer “Will you require sponsorship?”
Truthfully, and the same way on every application. Aplyr answers it from your profile, so your applications never contradict each other.
- Aplyr’s live index of open US roles on Nov 8, 2026, and whether each company has an H-1B sponsorship record.
- USCIS, H-1B specialty occupations, for the cap, cap exemptions and timeline.