An educational estimate — not advice.

Not professional advice

The information and estimates on this site are provided for general educational purposes only. They are not legal, immigration, tax, or financial advice, are not a substitute for advice from a licensed immigration attorney or qualified professional, and don't create any attorney-client or advisory relationship. H-1B decisions have real consequences for both employers and workers — before you act, confirm your situation with a qualified attorney and the authoritative agencies.

Estimates, not determinations

The calculator produces an estimate, not a quote, an eligibility determination, or a guarantee of any cost or outcome. In particular:

• Fees. Amounts reflect the post-April-2024 USCIS fee schedule (including the March 1, 2026 Premium Processing adjustment to $2,965). Which fees apply — the $750/$1,500 ACWIA tier, the $500 Fraud Prevention fee, the $4,000 Public Law 114-113 fee, the Asylum Program fee, the $215 registration fee — depends on employer size, type, and H-1B-dependency status, which require case-specific judgment.
• Prevailing wage. Uplift figures use OFLC FY26 reference tables and depend on the SOC code, Metropolitan Statistical Area, and wage level you select. Picking the wrong level is the single most common source of wrong H-1B cost estimates. For an actual filing, query the authoritative OFLC FLAG system.
• Lottery odds. Selection depends on the FY27 wage-based framework. Only the Level I rate has a published preliminary figure; higher-level rates shown are estimates reflecting the top-down fill mechanism, not official USCIS numbers.
• Green-card track. The $15,000–$25,000 PERM/green-card range is a planning figure spread over 2–4 years; it excludes country-of-birth backlog waits, which vary enormously by nationality.

Time-sensitive and subject to change

H-1B rules change frequently. The USCIS fee schedule, the OFLC prevailing-wage tables (refreshed each July 1), the lottery mechanism, and the annual selection rate can all move. This tool reflects guidance current as of its last review; verify current fees and rules with USCIS and the Department of Labor before relying on them.

Who legally pays — a caution

By law the employer is responsible for most H-1B fees, and several of them (ACWIA training, Fraud Prevention, Public Law 114-113) cannot be reimbursed by the worker — doing so is a Department of Labor violation. Nothing on this site should be read as suggesting a worker can or should cover a restricted fee. The candidate view frames employer spend as "what your employer is spending on your case," not "what you owe."

Verify before you rely on it

We do our best to keep figures accurate and to cite primary sources, but we make no warranty of accuracy or completeness and accept no liability for decisions made based on this site. For case-specific questions, consult a licensed immigration attorney. See our terms of use.

No affiliation

h1bsponsorshipcost.com is an independent tool operated by Red Goggles LLC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to USCIS, the Department of Labor, the Office of Foreign Labor Certification, any staffing agency, or any law firm.

Last updated: May 2026