If you are about to apply for an H1B visa as a consultant, then knowing basic information and familiarizing yourself with the application process will help you navigate the waters of the US legal and immigration system much more easily.
Knowing what the H1B visa is and who it is destined for is the first step in aiming at obtaining a positive outcome. It is a non-immigrant visa type, used by U.S based companies or employers that offer specialty occupation vacancies to foreign nationals and wish to bring them to the United States.
However, there are certain employer-employee standards and requirements that must be satisfied in order to qualify for the H1B visa and of course, the job vacancy itself must be listed among the specialty occupations, in this case, consultants are included. Keep reading to find out more details.
H1B visa for Consultant entry requirements
Applying for an H1B visa as a consultant involves several procedures and requirements, which we have listed below. First of all, having a valid consultancy job offer that meets the specialty occupation standards from a U.S based employer who is willing to sponsor your application is the most essential eligibility requirement, as well as having at least a bachelor’s degree in consultancy.
Afterward, your employer will have to file for a Labor Condition Application from the Department of Labor which will include and state all of their contract terms with you as the employee. Your employer will also have to demonstrate that he did not find any qualified U.S. applicants for the job and that you have the needed skills and expertise to perform the job duties. Then, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services will conduct a random lottery to select the applications that will be going on to processing.
Then, if they select your application, that will allow your employer to move on to the next step by officially filing a petition starting April 1st of that year. Then, if the petition is approved, you can choose one of the following:
- Either wait for your employment start date which is October 1st. Then, your status will be automatically adjusted to H-1B. In this case, this would be the ideal option if you are already in the United States but have a different non-immigrant visa type.
- If you are outside of the U.S. borders, then the next step would be to go to a U.S. consulate or embassy for the purpose of obtaining a visa stamp and entering the country under an H-1B status.
Consultant H1B Sponsorship Data
| Year | Approval Rate | Denial Rate |
| 2022 | 99.76% | 0.24% |
| 2021 | 99.78% | 0.22% |
| 2020 | 100.00% | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 99.89% | 0.11% |
| 2018 | 99.40% | 0.60% |
| 2017 | 99.18% | 0.82% |
| 2016 | 99.43% | 0.57% |
| 2015 | 98.96% | 1.04% |
Average prevailing wages and top employers for Consultant in the U.S
For most of small business consulting firms consultants get paid on average a salary ranging between $65,000 and $70,000. While Senior consultants earn an average salary of $112,000-$120,000. On the other hand, for top hiring firms average salaries for consultants are between $80,000 and $149,500.
| Company Name | Average Median Salary for H1B Visa for Consultant |
| Deloittensulting | $96,576 |
| Wipro | $84,019 |
| The Boston Consulting Group | $179,747 |
| Genpact | $85,793 |
| Sonata Software North America | $73,474 |
| Latentview Analytics | $116,316 |
| IBM | $114,229 |
| L.e.k. Consulting | $165,000 |
| Bain & | $166,750 |
| Headstrong Services | $95,276 |
However, as of early 2023, H1B visa sponsors such as Deloittensulting, Wipro, The Boston Consulting Group, Genpact, and Sonata Software North America are successively ranked as the top 5 hiring parties applying for Labor Condition Applications.
Top-hiring Cities for Consultants in the United States
The top-hiring and highest-paying consulting firms in the US are mainly located in New York, San Francisco, and Boston, take a look at the following table for detailed insight.
| Rank | City | Average Salary |
| 1 | New York, NY | $135,381 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $153,056 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $137,843 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $147,643 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $117,909 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $111,267 |
| 7 | Sunnyvale, CA | $154,276 |
| 8 | Atlanta, GA | $105,984 |
| 9 | Mountain View, CA | $162,028 |
| 10 | Houston, TX | $105,542 |
| 11 | Irving, TX | $105,663 |
H1B visa for Consultant Basic Processing Information
Processing time for an H1B visa varies depending on the service center in which it is being processed.
- Regular H1B visa processing; takes from 1 to 6 months. But it also depends on the service center. The California and Nebraska Service Centers usually take 2.5 to 4.5 months for processing H1B visas, The Vermont Service Center takes around 12 to 15 months to do so.
- Premium H1B visa processing; Specifically destined for employers who do not want to wait for a long period of time. With Premium processing, the petition will be processed within 15 days of the submission date.
- Expedited H1B visa processing: Expedited processing requires certain criteria such as the following:
- In case there is a severe financial loss to the US employer or foreign employee;
- There is an emergency situation;
- For humanitarian reasons;
- The petition is filed from a US Nonprofit Organization that will benefit the cultural and social interests of the US;
- In Case the petition is from a US government entity due to national interest from the US Department of Defense;
- In case there was an error from the USCIS.
- In case the petition is of compelling interest to USCIS.
H1B Visa Fees
| 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 |
Get Help From Herman Legal Group
If you are a consultant and about to apply for an H1B visa in the United States and are looking for legal guidance, contact Herman Legal Group. We are an award-winning immigration law firm, founded in 1995, and experienced in all areas of immigration: family, employment, investor, deportation defense, and citizenship.
Sit down with attorney Richard Herman or one of the lawyers at Herman Legal Group to get experienced immigration help and let them analyze the facts to come up with the best legal strategy for your situation at your convenience.
You can schedule a personal consultation with Attorney Richard Herman by calling 1-216-696-6170, or by booking online. Consultations can be conducted via Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp, Facetime, phone, or in-office. We are looking forward to helping you!
