If you are a U.S. employer looking to hire a foreign worker, it’s important to understand the costs associated with sponsoring a U.S. work visa. Because there are many visa and green card pathways, the costs can vary significantly depending on which visa you choose. In this guide, we’ll go over each of the top visas and green cards and their associated costs.
Looking to sponsor a foreign worker? Discuss the costs with a VisaNation attorney
|
Sponsorship Pathway |
Visa Purpose |
Government Filing Fees |
|
H-1B Visa |
Specialty Occupations (Bachelor's degree or higher) |
$2,000 – ~$10,000 |
|
L-1 Visa |
Intracompany Transferees (Managers, Executives, Specialists) |
$1,195 – $5,450 |
|
O-1 Visa |
Individuals with Extraordinary Ability/Achievement |
$530 – $1,655 |
|
TN Visa |
USMCA Professionals from Canada & Mexico |
$56 – $1,615 |
|
EB-2 / EB-3 Green Card |
Permanent Residency (Skilled Workers & Professionals) |
$665 – $1,315 |
H-1B Visa (Specialty Occupations)
The H-1B visa is designed for jobs requiring specialized knowledge. The candidate should have at least a bachelor’s degree.
The government fees to sponsor an H-1B visa for a foreign worker range from $2,000 to ~$10,000, depending on your company’s structure and optional add-ons like premium processing.
L-1 Visa (Intracompany Transferee Visa)
The L-1 visa (Intracompany Transferee Visa) allows multinational companies to transfer employees from a qualified foreign office to the U.S. to continue employment. It is reserved for managers, executives, and employees with specialized knowledge.
The cost to sponsor an L-1 visa ranges from $1,195 to $5,450 in government fees, depending on your company’s size, structure, and optional add-ons like premium processing.
O-1 Visa (Extraordinary Ability)
The O-1 visa is available to individuals who can demonstrate extraordinary achievement or ability in business, science, education, arts, or athletics through national or international recognition.
The O-1 sponsorship cost ranges from $530 – $1,655, depending on the company size.
TN Visa for Canadian And Mexican Professionals
The TN visa is for professionals from Canada and Mexico whose work aligns with a position on the USMCA professions list.
The cost to sponsor a TN visa ranges from $56 to $1,615, depending on the citizen’s country (Canadian or Mexican) and whether the foreigner is applying from outside the U.S. or within the U.S.
EB-2 / EB-3 Green Card
The last option to sponsor a U.S. work visa is the green card pathway. The EB-2 and EB-3 Green Card cost between $665 and $1,315, depending on the business type (nonprofit vs for-profit) and size of the company.
Additionally, this route requires employers to go through a mandatory recruitment period, with costs generally ranging from $1,000 to $3,000.
Honorable Mentions
- The EB-1C Green Card is reserved for multinational executives and managers. It is the typical green card route for L-1A visa holders, and offers big cost savings for employers by bypassing the costly and lengthy PERM labor certification process.
- The E-3 Visa is for Australian citizens, with similar eligibility requirements to the H-1B visa. The cost ranges from $510 – $1,615, depending on the size of the company.
- The H-2B Visa is common if you seek to hire workers in construction, hospitality, landscaping, or seasonal industries needing non-agricultural temporary labor. The cost ranges from $545 – $1690.
- An approved E-2 investor or business can sponsor foreign workers, provided those workers share the same nationality as the majority owners of the E-2 enterprise. Fees range from $510 – $1,615.
Which Option to Choose?
When planning your immigration strategy, there is no one-size-fits-all timeline.
Some employers choose to sponsor temporary nonimmigrant visas (such as H-1B or L-1) first, allowing foreign professionals to start working quickly while reserving green card sponsorship for down the road.
Other companies opt to go straight for permanent residence (an EB-2 or EB-3 Green Card) if immediate work authorization isn’t required or if the employee is already in status.
Finally, many companies do both at the same time. Thanks to “dual-intent” rules, employers can bring a worker in quickly on a temporary visa while simultaneously filing for their green card, getting the employee on the job fast while securing their long-term stay in the background.
A Note on Cost Strategy:
Beyond timing, the costs associated with visas are a key role in which path you choose. Skipping a temporary visa and going straight for a green card can reduce total spending, but results in delays in work authorization. Conversely, filing both simultaneously requires a larger upfront financial investment, but enables the employee to begin work sooner.
What Are The Attorney Fees to Sponsor a U.S. Work Visa?
The above fees only outline the minimum and maximum government fees for each visa type. To gain the expertise of an attorney who can handle all the paperwork on your behalf, you must pay additional fees.
These fees can range from $2,000 to over $10,000, depending on the visa type. Each visa or green card process varies in complexity and the number of work hours required to submit the paperwork.