An H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa popularly and commonly used by U.S based employers or businesses or business owners who are planning to bring workers from foreign countries to the United States to work for them in certain job vacancies called specialty occupations.
However, there are certain eligibility requirements for both the nature of the job vacancy as well as the applicants for that particular job. The USCIS imposes specific rules in order to qualify for the specialty occupation.
For example, a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a field directly related to the job vacancy are usually the minimum entry level to be considered eligible for the job. Luckily, computer programmers are considered performers of specialty occupations, therefore they are eligible for an H1B visa! Find out more details below!
H1B Visa for Computer Programmer Entry Requirements
Computer programmers are individuals who specialize in the writing, modification, test coding and scripting that allow computer software and applications to work properly. Their job consists in turning the designs created by software engineers and developers into instructions that a computer can follow.
Computer programmers perform one of the specialty occupations which means that they are eligible to apply for H1B visas. However, they must meet certain requirements to be able to work in the U.S under the H1B visa program. Some of those requirements include the following:
- A bachelor’s degree as minimum entry level in a field directly related to the job specialty, that degree must be common in similar industries for people who work as computer programmers in the United States.
- Your employer has to file a labor condition with the Department of Labor containing the details, terms and conditions of their contract with you.
- Your employer has to demonstrate that he did not find any qualified U.S applicants for the job.
- You must have the needed skills and expertise to perform the job duties.
- Your employer is responsible for paying all fees and charges of the H1B visa. However, you may pay the premium processing fees.
For more details, check out the processing times at The USCIS specialty occupations.
Computer Programmer H1B Sponsorship Data
| Year | Approval Rate | Denial Rate |
| 2022 | 98.98% | 1.02% |
| 2021 | 99.42% | 0.58% |
| 2020 | 100.00% | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 98.64% | 1.36% |
| 2018 | 98.87% | 1.13% |
| 2017 | 98.47% | 1.53% |
| 2016 | 99.07% | 0.93% |
| 2015 | 99.09% | 0.91% |
Average Prevailing Wages and Top Employers For Computer Programmers in the U.S
Salaries for computer programmers are different from one company to another. We have gathered the average prevailing wages in some of the most well-known companies in the U.S.
| Company Name | Average Median Salary for H1B Computer Programmers |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $67,502 |
| Igate Technologies | $72,623 |
| Tech Mahindra (Americas) | $70,543 |
| Larsen & Toubro Infotech | $67,739 |
| Hexaware Technologies | $61,323 |
| Fujitsu America | $67,436 |
| American Information Technology | $50,743 |
| Ntt Data | $96,785 |
| Deemsys | $60,025 |
| Natsoft | $70,635 |
Computer Programmer top-hiring Cities
In the United States, San Francisco, New York and Huston Texas have been the hot spot for computer programmers. Their median annual wage has reached $93,000 as of May 2021. Below are the top hiring-cities for computer programmers as well as their average salaries per city.
| Rank | City | Average Salary |
| 1 | New York, NY | $97,446 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $82,249 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $107,074 |
| 4 | Atlanta, GA | $81,230 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $102 ,855 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $82,081 |
| 7 | Sunnyvale, CA | $102,454 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $80,995 |
| 9 | Irving, TX | $73,484 |
| 10 | Dallas, TX | $76,509 |
| 11 | Mountain View, CA | $121,120 |
H1B visa for Computer Programmer Basic Processing Information
H1B visa processing time depends on many factors, such as the applicants specific case, and the service center where it is being processed. It generally takes between 1 to 6 months to process an H1B visa and it can take up to one year.
Processing time differs from one center to another, the California and Nebraska Service Centers for example take between 2.5 to 4.5 months to process an H1B visa application while the Vermont Service Center takes a lot longer than that.
On average around 12 to 15 months. The next step after USCIS processes your H1B visa, they might request more evidence. The petitioner must then provide the required documentation, allowing the USCIS to move forward with the processing of your application and finally be able to make a decision, either by accepting or denying your H1B visa application.
H1B Visa Fees
H1b fees have to be paid by the employer who is hiring a foreign employee. The U.S law forbids the payment of H1B visa fee by the employee except for the premium processing fees which are optional. More details about the type and cost of each fee are listed below.
| Type of fee | Amount in $ | Paid for by |
| Registration Fee | $10 | Employer |
| Premium Processing Fee (optional) | $2,500 | Employer or Employee |
| Public Law 114-113 Fee | $4,000 | Employer |
| Basic Filing Fee | $460 | Employer |
| USCIS Anti-Fraud Fee | $500 | Employer |
| ACWIA Education and Training Fee | $750 (less than 25 employees)$1,500 (more than 25 employees) | Employer |
| Attorney Fee | Variable | Employer |
USCIS Memos concerning H-1B Visa for Computer Programmers
A MEMO issued by Trump’s administration gave the USCIS officers more authority to demand any additional proof demonstrating that entry-level computer programming vacancies qualify as a “specialty occupation”— which is a basic requirement to obtain an H-1B visa.
Due to this new MEMO more RFEs (Requests for Evidence) on all computer-related applications are likely to be made, as the USCIS has more discretion to do so and determine whether the position is really eligible for an H1B visa and meets the specialty occupation standards.
Get Help From Herman Legal Group
If you are planning to apply for an H1b visa, then a little professional guidance can help you save money and time. Herman Legal Group, founded in 1995, T serves clients in all 50 states and Canada, and throughout the world. Their team speaks over 12 languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Serbian, and Bulgarian.
A consultation can bring you peace of mind and clear up any worries or ambiguity along your path. Call us and schedule a consultation at 1-216-696-6170, or by booking online. Consultations can be conducted by zoom, skype, whatsapp, facetime, or in-office. We would be thrilled to help you!
