The short answer: check an employer's sponsorship history in the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub and the Department of Labor's LCA disclosure files, then apply to that employer's live postings. Past filings are the best public evidence that a company sponsors in practice, not just in a job description. Rules below were checked against USCIS pages on October 1, 2026 and do change, so confirm before you rely on them.
Step 1: Check the employer's history, not the job post
Job posts say "visa sponsorship available" inconsistently, and many sponsoring employers say nothing. Two public sources show what companies actually do:
- USCIS Employer Data Hub lists petitions by employer, including initial and continuing approvals and denials. Its latest published year lags, so it shows track record rather than this year's activity.
- DOL LCA disclosure data lists every Labor Condition Application an employer files before an H-1B petition, with job title, wage and worksite. It is updated quarterly and is the closest thing to a current signal.
An LCA is an employer attestation, not an approved petition and not an open role. Treat it as evidence of sponsorship activity.
Search H-1B sponsors on ApplyBolt We combined both sources into a searchable index with a sponsor score, wages, roles and links to each company's open jobs.
Step 2: Look at the right signals
- Recent volume: filings in the latest fiscal year matter more than a decade-old total.
- New hires vs extensions: a high share of new positions suggests the employer sponsors people who are not yet on its payroll.
- Roles and wages: check that your job title appears in their filings.
- Consistency: several years of filings beat one big spike.
Step 3: Consider cap-exempt employers
Most new H-1B petitions count against an annual cap of 65,000, plus 20,000 more for people with a U.S. master's degree or higher, and are chosen by lottery. According to USCIS, institutions of higher education, their affiliated nonprofits, nonprofit research organizations and government research organizations are exempt from the cap. They can file at any time of year, which makes universities and research institutes worth searching if you missed the lottery.
Step 4: Know the 2026 rule changes
- Weighted selection: USCIS moved the cap lottery to a wage-level-weighted selection, so higher wage levels have better odds. Check the wage levels in an employer's filings.
- The $100,000 payment: a September 19, 2025 proclamation required it for certain petitions. USCIS says a federal court in Massachusetts vacated the agency guidance on June 8, 2026, and the First Circuit denied the government's stay request on July 24, 2026. Litigation continues, and a separate D.C. court ruling went the other way, so ask an immigration attorney how it applies to you.
Step 5: Apply to their live postings
Once you have a shortlist, apply to the specific roles they have open. On ApplyBolt you can filter jobs by visa sponsorship. That filter comes from the wording of each posting, not from DOL or USCIS records, so use it alongside the filing history above rather than instead of it. Each employer page in the sponsor index links to that company's open roles and its ApplyBolt company page.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out if a company sponsors H-1B visas?
Look up the employer in the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub and in the Department of Labor's LCA disclosure files. Both show real filings by employer, so they are better evidence than the wording of a job post. ApplyBolt's H-1B sponsor index combines them with open jobs.
What is an LCA and does it mean a company is hiring?
A Labor Condition Application is an attestation an employer files with the Department of Labor before an H-1B petition. It shows sponsorship activity but is not an approved petition and not a current job opening.
What are cap-exempt H-1B employers?
According to USCIS, institutions of higher education, their affiliated nonprofits, nonprofit research organizations and government research organizations are exempt from the annual H-1B cap, so they can file petitions at any time of year.
Does ApplyBolt's visa filter use government records?
No. The filter is based on the wording of each job posting. Use it together with an employer's filing history from DOL and USCIS data, which the H-1B sponsor index shows.