How to Evaluate an H-1B Sponsor Before Accepting an Offer
5 data-driven questions to ask before accepting an H-1B job offer. Salary percentile, approval rate, green card follow-through, and more.
The 5 Questions Every H-1B Candidate Should Ask
Accepting a job offer is a major decision for anyone. For international workers on H-1B visas, it carries additional stakes — your immigration status, green card path, and long-term life in the US depend in part on your employer's track record and commitment.
Here are the five data-driven questions to answer before signing an offer letter.
1. Is My Salary at or Above the Prevailing Wage?
H-1B employers are legally required to pay the prevailing wage for your role and location. But "legal minimum" and "market rate" are not the same thing.
Before accepting, check:
- Where does your offer sit in the salary distribution for this role?
- Are you being offered Level I (entry) when you have Level III (experienced) credentials?
- What is the 75th percentile for this title at this employer?
How to check: Use the SignalVisa Offer Analyzer to see your salary percentile across 4.1M LCA filings by title and employer.
Red flag: An offer at or near the 25th percentile for your role at a large employer suggests wage level manipulation — a practice where employers classify workers at lower wage levels to reduce H-1B costs.
2. What is the Employer's USCIS Approval Rate?
Not all H-1B petitions are approved. USCIS approval rates vary significantly by employer — from 99%+ at top tech companies to below 70% at some staffing firms.
A low approval rate matters because:
- A denial disrupts your work authorization
- Multiple denials can affect future filings
- It may signal the employer files poorly-documented petitions
How to check: Search any employer on SignalVisa to see their USCIS initial approval rate from the Employer Data Hub.
Red flag: Approval rate below 80% for a large employer warrants further investigation.
3. Does This Employer Actually Sponsor Green Cards?
This is the question most candidates forget to ask — and the one with the biggest long-term consequences.
PERM follow-through rate measures the percentage of H-1B workers for whom the employer files green card (PERM) paperwork. Rates range from near 100% (highly committed sponsors) to near 0% (H-1B churn shops with no GC intent).
How to check: Every employer profile on SignalVisa shows their GC follow-through rate.
Red flag: Rate below 5% means the employer hires on H-1B but rarely commits to permanent residency sponsorship.
4. Is the Employer's Filing Volume Growing or Shrinking?
H-1B filing trends reveal a lot about an employer's business health and commitment to international talent.
- **Growing filings:** Company is expanding, hiring more international workers
- **Stable filings:** Steady business, reliable sponsor
- **Declining filings:** Potential restructuring, layoffs, or reduced commitment to international hiring
How to check: Every employer profile on SignalVisa shows a 7-year filing trend chart (FY2019-2025).
Red flag: A 50%+ decline in filings over 2-3 years with no clear business explanation.
5. What Happens If You Need to Transfer?
H-1B portability allows you to change jobs while your I-485 (green card application) is pending, as long as the new job is in a similar occupational category. But portability only kicks in after your I-485 has been pending for 180+ days.
Before that window, your H-1B is tied to your employer. If they let you go, you have 60 days to find a new sponsor.
Understanding your employer's layoff history and financial stability matters — especially in the current tech hiring environment.
Putting It All Together
The best H-1B sponsors share these characteristics:
- High and rising filing volumes
- USCIS approval rate above 90%
- PERM follow-through above 20%
- Salaries at or above market median
- Stable or growing business