🏢 Employer Tool · 2026 USCIS Fees

Visa Sponsorship Cost Calculator
for Employers

What YOUR COMPANY actually pays — USCIS fees, attorney costs, PERM expenses — for H-1B, O-1, L-1, TN, and EB-2 NIW sponsorship. Multi-hire support.

$1.5K
TN Minimum Cost
$28K+
H-1B + Green Card Max
Same Day
TN Processing
15 Days
H-1B Premium
👥 Hiring Plan
Large Employer (26+ employees) Affects ACWIA training fee: $3,000 vs $1,500
Total Estimated Sponsorship Cost
$0

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  • Prevailing wage analysis for each role
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  • Compliance obligations checklist
  • Country-specific green card timeline
  • Cost optimization recommendations
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Visa Type Comparison for Employers

Quick-reference guide to employer-paid costs, timelines, and use cases.

Visa Type USCIS Fees (Large Employer) Attorney Fees (Typical) Total Range Timeline Best For
H-1B $5,045 – $7,850 $3,000 – $6,000 $8,045 – $13,850 6–8 mo (3 mo premium) Specialty occupation professionals
O-1A $1,055 – $3,860 $8,000 – $15,000 $9,055 – $18,860 3–6 mo (15 days premium) Exceptional talent, award winners
L-1A / L-1B $1,385 – $4,190 $3,000 – $7,000 $4,385 – $11,190 3–5 mo (15 days premium) Intracompany transfers from foreign office
TN $0 $1,500 – $3,000 $1,500 – $3,000 Same day at port of entry Canadian/Mexican USMCA professions
EB-2 NIW $715 – $3,520 $4,000 – $9,000 $4,715 – $12,520 12–24 mo (varies by country) Advanced degree + national interest work
H-1B + Green Card $5,045 – $7,850 $11,000 – $21,000 $16,045 – $28,850 3–10+ years (India/China) Long-term hires on a green card path

💰 What Employers MUST Pay

By law, employers cannot pass mandatory H-1B fees to employees: I-129 base fee, ACWIA training fee, fraud prevention fee, and asylum program fee. These cannot be deducted from wages. Attorney fees and optional premium processing may in some cases be shared.

⚡ Premium Processing: Worth It?

At $2,805, premium processing guarantees USCIS action within 15 business days — not approval. If an RFE is issued, the clock restarts. For urgent hires, expiring statuses, or revenue-critical roles, premium processing is usually worth the cost.

🌎 Why Country of Origin Matters

For H-1B or EB-2 hires pursuing a green card, country of birth determines backlog. Indian nationals face EB-2 waits of 10–15 years. Chinese nationals face 5–8 years. Mexican, Canadian, and other nationals typically wait 1–3 years. Plan accordingly.

📋 PERM: The Hidden Green Card Cost

PERM labor certification is required for EB-2 and EB-3 green cards (not NIW). Expect $8,000–$15,000 in attorney fees plus 12–18 months of DOL processing time. This is in addition to H-1B costs if you're sponsoring concurrently.

🏢 Small Employer Discounts

Employers with 25 or fewer full-time employees pay reduced ACWIA training fees ($1,500 vs $3,000) and may be exempt from some other fees. Nonprofits and universities qualify for additional exemptions. The calculator adjusts automatically.

🔄 When to Start the Process

H-1B requires filing in April for October start. Begin LCA filing and attorney engagement by February. For TN, hiring can happen same-day at the port of entry. L-1 and O-1 have no lottery — begin employer attestation 3–4 months before the target start date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common employer questions about visa sponsorship costs and process.

How much does it cost to sponsor an H-1B employee in 2026? ▾
For a large employer (26+ employees), total H-1B sponsorship costs range from $8,045 to $10,850 without premium processing, or $10,850 to $13,655 with premium processing. This includes USCIS filing fees ($5,045–$5,045 base without registration), ACWIA training fee ($3,000), fraud prevention fee ($500), asylum program fee ($600), H-1B lottery registration ($215), and attorney fees ($3,000–$6,000). Small employers pay $1,500 less in ACWIA fees.
What is the cheapest visa type for employers to sponsor? ▾
TN visas are the cheapest employer-sponsored work visas — $0 in USCIS filing fees, with attorney costs of $1,500–$3,000 for total employer costs of $1,500–$3,000. The catch: TN is limited to Canadian and Mexican citizens in specific USMCA-listed professional categories (engineers, scientists, accountants, etc.). It also cannot lead directly to a green card.
Can I charge the employee for H-1B sponsorship fees? ▾
No — employers must pay the mandatory H-1B fees: I-129 base fee, ACWIA training fee, fraud prevention fee, and asylum program fee. These cannot be deducted from the employee's wages if doing so would reduce pay below the prevailing wage level. Premium processing is considered optional and can in some circumstances be borne by the employee, though many immigration attorneys advise against this practice.
Should I sponsor H-1B and green card at the same time? ▾
Many employers sponsor both concurrently for long-term hires. Filing PERM (green card labor certification) while the employee is on H-1B allows the employee to accumulate a priority date, which is critical for Indian and Chinese nationals facing long backlogs. The cost is additive: H-1B fees + PERM attorney fees ($8,000–$15,000) + I-140 petition fee ($715). Starting green card sponsorship early minimizes the risk of the employee needing to leave the country if the H-1B expires while waiting.
What compliance obligations come with visa sponsorship? ▾
H-1B sponsors must maintain a Public Access File, post LCA notices at all worksites, pay at least the prevailing wage for the job and location, notify USCIS of material changes in employment (title, location, duties), and conduct I-9 verification. DOL audits can result in back wage liability and debarment. Failure to maintain records is one of the most common — and costly — H-1B compliance mistakes. For O-1 and L-1, compliance obligations are less intensive but employers must still ensure the employee's status remains current.