Software engineer visa routes in United States of America
Thinking about United States of America as a place to work? Below are the 7 United States of America visa routes that most commonly fit software engineers, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: software developer, programmer, full-stack developer, backend engineer.
What this means for software engineers
Of the 7 United States of America routes that commonly fit software engineers, 5 need a sponsoring employer and 2 do not, 3 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Software engineers are not usually a licensed profession, so your main gates are securing a qualifying job offer where a route needs a sponsor, and meeting any salary or points threshold, rather than re-credentialing.
The most-used skilled route into United States of America overall is the H-1B Specialty Occupation, which also fits many software engineers — it is included below.
Typical figures — H-1B Specialty Occupation
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
US$62,000/yr
H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes)
Verified 1 July 2024 · DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search
Government cost
US$3,595
Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium
H-4 dependants filing in the United States generally use Form I-539; verify the current G-1055 fee and whether any biometric-services fee applies. Consular H-4 applicants pay the applicable MRV fee where required.
Verified 1 July 2026 · USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055)
How long it takes
2 months – 8 months
H-1B I-129 petitions commonly take 2–8 months at USCIS service centers; Premium Processing ($2,965) resolves within 15 business days.
Verified 1 June 2026 · USCIS — Case Processing Times
Occupation salary-floor answer
Software engineer salary floor in United States of America
Verified 8 July 2026
Salary floor
US$62,000 / year
H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes)
This is the route-level floor from the current source-backed dataset; a more specific occupation, region, age band or employer rule may bind higher.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Software engineer: visa vs licensing timeline in United States of America
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
H-1B Specialty Occupation is the representative route for this profession page. It requires a sponsor or job offer and is not mapped as a direct settlement route.
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
Current source-backed figures on this page include salary floor US$62,000/yr, processing 2 months – 8 months, government cost US$3,595.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
Labor Condition Application attests to prevailing wage and working conditions.
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
USCIS H-1B registration
Usually before filing or before start date
US$215
Cap-subject employers pay this before the lottery/selection stage. Cap-exempt petitions do not use the annual registration process.
- 2
Attorney or petition-preparation fees
Conditional before start date
US$1,500-US$5,000
Common employer-side professional-service cost, but not a government fee and not legally required in every case. Complex RFEs, amendments or compliance files can cost more.
Source: Indicative immigration counsel range - verify engagement quote - 1 July 2026
Cost-to-complete evidence: /cost-to-complete/us-h-1b . Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses United States of America's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- USCIS — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — H-1B Specialty Occupations
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — L-1B Intracompany Transferee Specialized Knowledge
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: Third Preference EB-3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS - TN USMCA Professionals
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
1 more source records are available through the linked route pages.
Routes that fit software engineers
H-1B Specialty Occupation
Employer-sponsored non-immigrant visa for specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Initial 3 years; extendable to 6 years (longer with approved I-140).
L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge)
Intracompany transfer for employees with specialised knowledge of the employer’s products, services, or processes.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Initial 3 years (1 year for new-office L-1B); extendable to 5 years total.
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B).
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Up to 3 years initially; 1-year extensions available indefinitely.
EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)
Employment-based first-preference green card for individuals with extraordinary ability — self-petitionable.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence (green card).
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
Second-preference green card with a waiver of the job offer and PERM labor certification, where the beneficiary’s work is in the US national interest.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers
Third-preference employment-based green card requiring employer sponsorship and PERM labor certification.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)
Non-immigrant work visa under USMCA for Canadian and Mexican citizens in listed professions.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Up to 3 years; renewable indefinitely while activity continues.
Figures by route
Verified salary floor and processing window per matched route, each primary-sourced. Indicative, not legal advice.
| Route | Salary floor | Processing | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| H-1B Specialty Occupation | US$62,000/yr | 2 months – 8 months | No |
| L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge) | — | 2 months – 9 months | No |
| O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement | — | 2 months – 6 months | No |
| EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant) | — | 6 months – 18 months | Yes |
| EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) | — | 6 months – 2.5 years | Yes |
| EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers | — | 12 months – 3.3 years | Yes |
| TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) | — | 1 days – 4 weeks | No |
Recent policy changes affecting this route
What changed most recently on this route — each linked to its primary government source.
- 12 January 2026In force 1 March 2026
US: premium processing rises to $2,965 and H-1B moves to wage-weighted selection
Two USCIS changes land for the FY2027 H-1B season: the Form I-907 premium-processing fee rises with inflation, and cap-subject H-1B selection switches from a random lottery to a wage-weighted process.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - 1 April 2024In force 1 April 2024
USCIS final fee rule takes effect
USCIS implemented its first major fee schedule adjustment in nearly a decade, including differentiated H-1B filing fees by employer type.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit software engineers moving to United States of America?+
United States of America has 7 routes that commonly fit software engineers: H-1B Specialty Occupation, L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge), O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement, EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant), EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW), EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers, TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico). The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do software engineers need a job offer to move to United States of America?+
Not always. 2 of the 7 matched United States of America routes can be pursued without an employer sponsoring you (such as the EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)), while 5 need a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. If you do not yet have an offer, start with the no-sponsor routes.
Can software engineers settle permanently in United States of America?+
Yes. 3 of the 7 matched routes lead toward settlement or permanent residence, while the others are temporary or transitional. Permanent-residence timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
What salary do software engineers need in United States of America?+
For software engineers, the mapped H-1B Specialty Occupation floor is US$62,000 / year, effective 1 July 2024 (DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search). This is the route-level floor from the current source-backed dataset; a more specific occupation, region, age band or employer rule may bind higher.
How much does the H-1B Specialty Occupation cost in government fees?+
For the worked example (Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium), government fees total about US$3,595 (USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055), verified 1 July 2026). Treat as indicative and confirm the current schedule on the official source.
How long does the H-1B Specialty Occupation take to process?+
The typical published decision window is 2 months – 8 months (USCIS — Case Processing Times, verified 1 June 2026).