How Much Does It Cost to Sponsor a Work Visa? Breakdown & Fees

Bringing employees into your business from overseas can help you to attract specialist talent, fill skills gaps, and enhance innovation to remain competitive. But sponsoring work visas is a complex and expensive process. How much does it cost an employer to sponsor a work visa?

US employers will spend approximately $9,400 on average for a first-time H-1B visa application, and potentially more depending on legal fees and processing costs.¹

This article breaks down the costs of sponsoring different types of US work visas and what is required of you as an employer, helping you to plan effectively to bring new employees into your business from abroad.

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How Much Does It Cost to Sponsor a Work Visa? Breakdown of Work Visa Costs

It is important to understand how much it costs to sponsor a work visa in the US before embarking on the process. There are several different types of fees you’ll need to pay to file an employee visa application. These vary depending on the visa category. Did you know that there are almost 200 different types of US visas, of which work visas form a large portion?

Non-immigrant visas permit employees to work for an employer based in the US while they’re in the country on a temporary basis. Immigrant visas allow holders to work in the country permanently.

Most types of work visa require the worker to have a job offer and employer sponsorship in place before they enter the country. The job must be in an occupation that is eligible for a visa and the worker must have education or experience in the field.

Employers typically cover the primary costs, such as application and legal fees. Employees may need to pay for copies of their educational transcripts and translating their documents from other languages. The employer usually negotiates additional expenses, such as relocation costs, with the individual employee.

Employees will pay an initial application fee for a visa stamp in their passport at a US embassy or consulate to gain entry into the US from their home country, ranging from $205 to $315.²

Government Filing Fees

Employers sponsor a visa by filing a petition with the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). They must provide a sponsorship letter outlining the terms of the job offer and the sponsorship arrangement. If the USCIS approves the petition, the employee has permission to apply for a work visa at a US consulate or embassy in their home country.

Different application fees apply depending on whether an employee requires a nonimmigrant or immigrant visa. Government fees vary by visa category as follows.³

Non-immigrant visas

H-1B visa

• Petition filing fee: $730-780, or $460 for small business or nonprofit organization
• American Competitiveness and Workplace Improvement Act (ACWIA) fee: $750 (for companies with 1-25 employees) or $1,500 (for 26+ employees)
• Fraud prevention and detection fee: $500
• Public Law 114-113 fee: $4,000 for companies that have 50+ employees and more than half on H1-B or L-1 visas
• Asylum program fee: $600, or $300 for small employers

L-1 visa

• Petition filing fee: $1,385 or $695 for small employers
• Fraud prevention and detection fee: $500
• Public Law 114-113 fee: $4,500 for companies that have 50+ employees and more than half on H1-B or L-1 visas
• Asylum program fee: $600, or $300 for small employers

O-1 visa (individuals with extraordinary ability)

• Filing fee: $1,055 or $530 for small employers

Immigrant visas

EB-2 and EB-3 visas

• Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker fee: $715
• Asylum program fee: $600, or $300 for small employers
• Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status: $1,440 (including biometric fee)
• USCIS immigrant fee: $235

Attorney and Legal Fees

As US immigration laws are complex and frequently subject to change, it is recommended to seek legal advice to make sure you apply for the most appropriate type of visa and navigate the process effectively.

Hiring immigration attorneys to handle the paperwork and make sure your company complies with the rules can reduce the risk of delays or even having applications rejected because of errors or missing documentation.

Legal fees vary depending on the type of visa and complexity of the case. As a rough guide:

• H-1B fees can range between $1,500-3,000
• L-1 fees can range between $2,000-5,000
• O-1 fees can range between $2,000-6,000
• EB fees can range between $5,000-15,000

Additional Costs

Premium processing expedites the review of an application to 15 business days and costs $2,805 for non-immigrant work visas. However, expedited processing is not available for every visa type.

Recruitment and advertising for the role to be filled is required for labor condition applications for certain visa categories. Costs can range from $100 to $1,000 per vacancy.

Employers must maintain public access files and may need to undergo site audits. This can further increase the cost of the process, especially for businesses that need to pay for compliance management software and HR support.

Other costs can apply such as visa extension and biometric fees.

Employers sponsoring green cards must cover the cost of the Permanent Labor Certification Process (PERM), which proves they have not been able to find a US worker to file the role and hiring the immigrant employee will not affect the local job market. This can incur expenses ranging from $2,500 to over $5,000 for recruitment, legal fees, private wage surveys, and potential audits.

Some visa fees may be tax-deductible, depending on the amount and whether the IRS views the cost as a necessary expense for the business to generate taxable income.

How Much Does an H-1B Visa Cost for Employers?

Taking into consideration the government filing fees, the legal fees and additional costs, an H-1B visa can cost an employer close to $10,000 per employee.

The size of the business and the makeup of the workforce directly affects the cost of visa sponsorship. Smaller employers with 25 or fewer employees pay a reduced ACWIA fee of $750, compared with larger employers that pay $1,500. Additionally, companies with more than 50 employees, more than half of which are on H-1B or L-1 visas, must pay the Public Law 114-113 fee of $4,000 or $4,500.

Most employers spend around $1,500-3,000 on attorney fees for an H-1B visa application. Companies that are sponsoring visas for the first time may end up spending more on legal fees and setting up compliance systems to ensure they meet the Department of Labor and USCIS requirements.

In addition, many employers choose to pay the $2,805 for premium processing to speed up the hiring process and reduce uncertainty.

If the H-1B application involves special circumstances, such as a change of employer, or role, an extension that requires extra documentation, this can incur further costs.

Overview of Employer-Sponsored Work Visa Types

Visa Type	Classification	Description
H-1B	Nonimmigrant	For professionals in specialty occupations. Subject to an annual cap of 65,000, plus 20,000 for US Master’s degree holders. Allows dual intent for future green card application.
L-1A / L-1B	Nonimmigrant	For intra-company transferees. L-1A is for managers or executives; L-1B is for employees with specialized knowledge. Allows dual intent for future green card application.
O-1	Nonimmigrant	For individuals with extraordinary ability.
TN	Nonimmigrant	For Canadian and Mexican professionals under the USMCA agreement, formerly NAFTA.
E-1 / E-2	Nonimmigrant	Treaty traders and investors.
H-2A / H-2B	Nonimmigrant	Temporary agricultural and non-agricultural workers.
EB-1	Immigrant	Priority workers, including outstanding researchers and executives.
EB-2	Immigrant	Advanced degree professionals and those with exceptional ability.
EB-3	Immigrant	Skilled, professional, and other workers.
EB-4	Immigrant	Special immigrants (e.g., religious workers).
EB-5	Immigrant	Investors creating jobs through substantial U.S. investment.

Among the mostly commonly issued categories are the H-1B, L-1A and L-1B, O-1 and EB-2 and EB-3 visas.

The H-1B visa is granted to workers in specialist occupations, such as architecture, engineering, and IT, which require degree-level education. The visa is valid for three years, and holders can extend it for another three years. There is a cap on the number of H-1B visas issued each year, although there are exceptions for certain nonprofit, research and government positions. Once an employee receives an H-1B visa, they can change jobs if the new employer sponsors another H-1B visa.

L visas, also known as intra-company transfer visas, are granted to managers or employees with specialist knowledge that have worked for the company for at least a year to transfer to the US temporarily. L visas are valid for one year and can be extended for a further six years.

The O-type nonimmigrant visa is issued to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary ability or achievement in the sciences, arts, entertainment, education, business, or athletics. Despite being internationally acclaimed or famous, O-1 visa holders still need an employer to sponsor their entry into the US.

EB-2 and EB-3 visas are permanent work visas, issued before the holder receives a green card. EB-2 visas are granted to professionals with advanced degrees and exceptional ability in sciences, arts, or business. EB-3 visas are issued to professionals with a B.A. degree, skilled workers with at least two years of work experience or training, and other workers for non-seasonal unskilled labor.

How Long Does the Work Visa Process Take?

Obtaining a US work visa is a complex process. The length of time it takes for the visa to be issued to the employee depends on factors including the type of visa, employee’s country of origin, and whether the employer pays for expedited processing. For instance, L visas can be processed faster than green cards.

Rough timelines for the most common visa types are as follows:

H-1B:

Registration opens in March⁴

Lottery results by April

Petition filing April-June

Start date: October 1

Total: 6+ months (less using premium processing)

L-1/O-1:

2-6 months for standard processing

15 days with premium processing

PERM-based green card:

12-18+ months

Delays may occur because of Requests for Evidence (RFEs), consular backlogs, or changes in US immigration policy.

Why Do Businesses Sponsor Foreign Employees?

Despite the upfront costs and administrative burden, many businesses choose to sponsor visas to bring in employees from overseas because the benefits are worth the investment.

Research from Columbia Business School shows that highly-skilled immigrants, including H-1B visa holders, drive entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth.⁵

Access to Global Talent

One of the main reasons to sponsor foreign employees is to access a broader, and often more specialized, talent pool. In specialized industries such as technology, engineering, and healthcare, there is a shortage of candidates with specific skillsets. Hiring employees from other countries allows companies to fill critical roles that might otherwise remain vacant, which could affect project timelines or limit business growth.

Innovation and Diversity

Sponsoring workers from abroad helps businesses stay innovative and competitive. International employees bring different perspectives, problem-solving approaches, and cultural knowledge that can enrich teams and promote creativity. This can in turn lead to increased adaptability, better decision-making and improved product development, enabling companies to compete in a globalized market.

Business Growth

Companies aiming to expand internationally can benefit from hiring workers with specific language abilities or deep knowledge of regional business practices. These employees can bridge cultural gaps, enhance interactions with clients, and help business establish credibility in their new target markets.

Employee Retention

Choosing to sponsor visas for foreign employees can improve employee retention and loyalty. Employees that have been brought into the country on sponsored visas often value the opportunity, resulting in higher engagement with their role and longer tenure with the company. This stability can reduce turnover costs for the business and help maintain a more experienced, cohesive team.

Visa sponsorship is not just about meeting a company’s workforce needs, it's a strategic investment in the company's future.

Alternatives to US Visa Sponsorship

While the benefits of sponsoring visas are clear, the application process is complicated and expensive. This means not all employers are able to spare the resources, especially small businesses, and not all potential employees are willing or able to move to the US.

But there are other ways businesses can hire talent from around the world without bringing employees into the US on work visas:

• Create a local entity or foreign subsidiary to hire and pay workers abroad
• Hire international contractors or freelancers with specialist skills for specific projects
• Use an Employer of Record (EOR) service to manage international hiring and HR

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Sources:
¹A Look At The High Fees Making Hiring H-1B Visa Holders Challenging
² ³ USCIS Form G-1055 US Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule
⁴H-1B Electronic Registration Process | USCIS
⁵How High-Skilled Immigrants Drive US Job Growth and Innovation | Columbia Business School
All sources checked August 2025.