California (CA)
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H1BIndex State Grade
i
C
FY 2026
2023
A+
2024
A+
2025
A+
Total State Visa Volume i
16,181
Filings in FY 2026
Median State Salary i
$168,920
Standard yearly salary
True Purchasing Power i
$111,345
Adjusted for Cost of Living
USCIS Approval Rate i
99.5%
Official Adjudication
State Economic & Immigration Overview
An automated macro-level review of California's tech ecosystem.California Regional Score
Employers across California submitted 16,181 work visa applications. Looking at these total hiring numbers, the state achieves an overall H1B Index Rating of "C".
High Talent Transfers
The job market in California is highly competitive. Approximately 55.0% of filings aggressively recruit professionals who already hold visas at rival companies.
Living Costs
It is important to look past the raw $168,920 salary figure. Because California collects a 9.3% state tax, actual localized purchasing power settles near $111,345.
Strong Visa Success
Getting an approved work visa is highly likely here. The government approves 99.5% of applications from California, and local companies also filed 3,217 permanent residency requests.
Expert Skill Sets
If you are a senior candidate, California offers a massive advantage. 39.7% of the sponsored opportunities in this state are engineered for highly experienced specialists.
Regional Hiring Trends
Most of the work visa opportunities in California are located in San Francisco. Across the entire state, companies in the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services sector lead the job market.
Layoff Radar & Risk Indicators
Minor Displacement Notice
Small Staff Reductions: Only 29 permanent residency applications (0.9%) in California involved companies with recent layoffs.
Top Metro Hubs in California
Hiring volume across major cities mapped against the state baseline compensation rate of $168,920.San Francisco
2,044 Local Filings
$187,574
+11.0% STATE AVG
Sunnyvale
1,631 Local Filings
$181,293
+7.3% STATE AVG
San Jose
1,433 Local Filings
$185,453
+9.8% STATE AVG
Santa Clara
1,308 Local Filings
$186,472
+10.4% STATE AVG
Mountain View
819 Local Filings
$198,048
+17.2% STATE AVG
Cupertino
817 Local Filings
$183,975
+8.9% STATE AVG
Talent Sourcing Pipeline
Are companies hiring fresh talent or poaching from competitors?Fresh Hires (45.0%)Corporate Poaching (55.0%)
State Wage Premium
$14,459
Above Legal Minimum
On average, employers in California offer salaries that are $14,459 higher than the baseline prevailing wage required by the Department of Labor.
10-Year Salary Trends
Comparing state-level base compensation growth for temporary H-1B visas versus permanent Green Cards (PERM). Positive Market Growth: +82.3%. Compensation for workers in this state has reliably increased over the long term.
Lower Base Pay: -$26,200. Companies in this region pay 15.6% less for permanent workers compared to temporary staff in 2026.
Top Hiring Employers
Companies sponsoring the most visas in this state.
Company & Median Pay
Total Approvals
Top Emerging Startups in California
We identified 10 standout startups in California that frequently sponsor work visas for global professionals.
| Startup Company | Talent Strategy | Hiring Focus | Residency | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiktok U.S. Data Security Inc. Founded 202332 Active Visas | 97% Poached 3% Fresh | Entry / Mid Level | High GC Sponsorship | $214,400 +26.9% vs State Avg |
| Cz Biohub Sf, LLC Founded 20228 Active Visas | 100% Poached 0% Fresh | Senior / Lead Level | High GC Sponsorship | $166,566 -1.4% vs State Avg |
| Rivos Inc. Founded 20216 Active Visas | Standard Hiring | Senior / Lead Level | High GC Sponsorship | $202,115 +19.7% vs State Avg |
| Providence Medical Group, Northern California Founded 20233 Active Visas | Standard Hiring | Entry / Mid Level | High GC Sponsorship | $322,400 +90.9% vs State Avg |
| Mytra, Inc. Founded 20222 Active Visas | 50% Poached 50% Fresh | Senior / Lead Level | High GC Sponsorship | $129,064 -23.6% vs State Avg |
| Archlynk LLC Founded 20222 Active Visas | 0% Poached 100% Fresh | Senior / Lead Level | High GC Sponsorship | $165,422 -2.1% vs State Avg |
| Character Technologies Inc. Founded 20212 Active Visas | 100% Poached 0% Fresh | Senior / Lead Level | High GC Sponsorship | $255,000 +51.0% vs State Avg |
| Atom Tech, Inc. Founded 20211 Active Visas | 100% Poached 0% Fresh | Entry / Mid Level | High GC Sponsorship | $195,000 +15.4% vs State Avg |
| Cadena Platforms LLC Founded 20231 Active Visas | 0% Poached 100% Fresh | Entry / Mid Level | High GC Sponsorship | $150,000 -11.2% vs State Avg |
| Cxops, LLC Founded 20211 Active Visas | Standard Hiring | Senior / Lead Level | High GC Sponsorship | $138,697 -17.9% vs State Avg |
O*NET Wage Level Distribution
Experience requirements matched against pay tiers across the state.| Experience Level | Total Filings | Cohort Size | Minimum Base | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (Level I) | 1,652 | 10.2% | $37,770 | $102,877 |
| Qualified (Level II) | 4,305 | 26.6% | $47,840 | $141,148 |
| Experienced (Level III) | 3,181 | 19.7% | $55,000 | $179,000 |
| Fully Competent (Level IV) | 3,245 | 20.1% | $70,000 | $215,000 |
| Not Disclosed (Blank) | 3,798 | 23.5% | $48,000 | $173,329 |
Geographic Deployment & Worksites
The top locations where state employers place their workers.| City/Metro Area | Workforce % | City Median Pay | Wage (Level IV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | 12.6% (2,044 Filings) | $187,574 | 24.9% |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 10.1% (1,631 Filings) | $181,293 | 13.5% |
| San Jose, CA | 8.9% (1,433 Filings) | $185,453 | 14.7% |
| Santa Clara, CA | 8.1% (1,308 Filings) | $186,472 | 19.6% |
| Mountain View, CA | 5.1% (819 Filings) | $198,048 | 14.2% |
| Cupertino, CA | 5.0% (817 Filings) | $183,975 | 19.5% |
| San Diego, CA | 4.8% (781 Filings) | $152,027 | 24.2% |
| Los Angeles, CA | 3.2% (519 Filings) | $129,667 | 18.9% |
| Palo Alto, CA | 3.1% (509 Filings) | $185,934 | 16.1% |
| Menlo Park, CA | 3.0% (485 Filings) | $220,376 | 36.5% |
| Irvine, CA | 2.5% (397 Filings) | $130,894 | 19.1% |
| Fremont, CA | 2.3% (370 Filings) | $160,000 | 18.4% |
| Foster City, CA | 1.2% (187 Filings) | $175,157 | 43.9% |
| San Mateo, CA | 1.1% (185 Filings) | $194,834 | 31.9% |
| Pleasanton, CA | 1.1% (184 Filings) | $155,000 | 14.1% |
| Milpitas, CA | 0.9% (148 Filings) | $165,422 | 10.1% |
| Redwood City, CA | 0.9% (143 Filings) | $187,574 | 23.1% |
| South San Francisco, CA | 0.8% (136 Filings) | $152,752 | 22.8% |
| Oakland, CA | 0.8% (130 Filings) | $139,114 | 15.4% |
| Sacramento, CA | 0.7% (116 Filings) | $124,592 | 13.8% |
| Culver City, CA | 0.7% (110 Filings) | $134,871 | 19.1% |
| San Ramon, CA | 0.6% (105 Filings) | $159,061 | 19.0% |
| Berkeley, CA | 0.6% (103 Filings) | $119,300 | 7.8% |
| Newark, CA | 0.6% (97 Filings) | $160,454 | 27.8% |
| Santa Monica, CA | 0.6% (97 Filings) | $158,808 | 34.0% |
| Folsom, CA | 0.5% (86 Filings) | $140,400 | 25.6% |
| La Jolla, CA | 0.5% (85 Filings) | $80,073 | 4.7% |
| Pasadena, CA | 0.5% (80 Filings) | $118,227 | 16.2% |
| Los Gatos, CA | 0.4% (69 Filings) | $264,514 | 89.9% |
| Dublin, CA | 0.4% (68 Filings) | $180,491 | 38.2% |
| Tracy, CA | 0.4% (67 Filings) | $131,796 | 22.4% |
| Burlingame, CA | 0.4% (65 Filings) | $221,024 | 43.1% |
| Stanford, CA | 0.4% (65 Filings) | $87,700 | 3.1% |
| Mountain House, CA | 0.4% (64 Filings) | $152,915 | 35.9% |
| Torrance, CA | 0.4% (61 Filings) | $138,697 | 29.5% |
| Livermore, CA | 0.4% (59 Filings) | $180,586 | 27.1% |
| Woodland Hills, CA | 0.3% (55 Filings) | $125,000 | 10.9% |
| El Segundo, CA | 0.3% (51 Filings) | $150,000 | 19.6% |
| San Bruno, CA | 0.3% (51 Filings) | $162,000 | 9.8% |
| Hayward, CA | 0.3% (49 Filings) | $155,605 | 8.2% |
| Long Beach, CA | 0.3% (49 Filings) | $135,000 | 32.7% |
| Lathrop, CA | 0.3% (48 Filings) | $142,000 | 27.1% |
| Carlsbad, CA | 0.3% (46 Filings) | $130,187 | 19.6% |
| San Leandro, CA | 0.2% (36 Filings) | $135,958 | 19.4% |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | 0.2% (36 Filings) | $128,190 | 11.1% |
| East Palo Alto, CA | 0.2% (35 Filings) | $184,000 | 2.9% |
| Newport Beach, CA | 0.2% (34 Filings) | $135,000 | 23.5% |
| Alameda, CA | 0.2% (33 Filings) | $140,254 | 27.3% |
| Walnut Creek, CA | 0.2% (33 Filings) | $134,128 | 9.1% |
| Riverside, CA | 0.2% (32 Filings) | $100,424 | 6.2% |
Most Poached Roles
Roles with the highest volume of H-1B transfers, indicating aggressive headhunting.
Role & Transfer Pay
Total Transferred
Dominant Industries
Distribution of cases by broad industry sector.39.0%
23.6%
16.3%
5.1%
5.0%
Historical Retention Rate
Year-over-year percentage of successful visa renewals and extensions.Top Third-Party End Clients i
Where consultants are deployed.
End Client & Placement Data
Total Approvals
Highest Compensation Roles i
Top positions ranked by median base pay.
Role & Market Data
Median Base
Law Firms & Third-Party Work i
Leading legal counsel for visas.
Law Firm & Market Data
Total Approvals
Visa Volume & Success
-86.0% YoY Decline
LCA approvals, denials, and overall certification rates.
USCIS Petition Processing
New vs. Renewed approvals and denials in the state.Green Card Sponsorships
PERM residency applications and median GC wages.Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines
Complete Employers Matrix
A detailed ledger of all corporate clients operating in California.| Sponsoring Employer | Market Share | LCA Count | Median Salary | Vs State Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | 8.1% | 1,316 | $181,100 | +7.2% Avg |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. | 3.4% | 547 | $227,000 | +34.4% Avg |
| Google LLC | 3.3% | 538 | $201,750 | +19.4% Avg |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | 2.6% | 417 | $176,300 | +4.4% Avg |
| Nvidia Corporation | 2.1% | 333 | $201,053 | +19.0% Avg |
| Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. | 1.6% | 264 | $154,860 | -8.3% Avg |
| Linkedin Corporation | 1.4% | 234 | $182,523 | +8.1% Avg |
| Tesla, Inc. | 1.2% | 201 | $170,000 | Market Rate |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 1.2% | 194 | $174,230 | +3.1% Avg |
| Microsoft Corporation | 1.1% | 181 | $200,470 | +18.7% Avg |
| Wal-Mart Associates, Inc. | 0.9% | 149 | $150,080 | -11.2% Avg |
| Salesforce, Inc. | 0.9% | 149 | $233,255 | +38.1% Avg |
| Paypal, Inc. | 0.9% | 139 | $202,427 | +19.8% Avg |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions Us Corp. | 0.7% | 113 | $118,082 | -30.1% Avg |
| Servicenow, Inc. | 0.6% | 103 | $173,361 | +2.6% Avg |
| Intuit Inc. | 0.6% | 101 | $185,400 | +9.8% Avg |
| Adobe Inc. | 0.6% | 97 | $217,000 | +28.5% Avg |
| Infosys Limited | 0.6% | 89 | $115,835 | -31.4% Avg |
| Uber Technologies, Inc. | 0.5% | 86 | $201,900 | +19.5% Avg |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | 0.5% | 85 | $171,165 | +1.3% Avg |
| Amazon Web Services, Inc. | 0.5% | 77 | $180,752 | +7.0% Avg |
| Tata Consultancy Services Limited | 0.5% | 76 | $114,795 | -32.0% Avg |
| Ebay Inc. | 0.5% | 75 | $210,000 | +24.3% Avg |
| Palo Alto Networks, Inc. | 0.4% | 72 | $195,548 | +15.8% Avg |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 0.4% | 72 | $86,784 | -48.6% Avg |
| Intel Corporation | 0.4% | 70 | $156,209 | -7.5% Avg |
| University Of California, San Francisco | 0.4% | 69 | $88,000 | -47.9% Avg |
| Cisco Systems, Inc. | 0.4% | 67 | $177,993 | +5.4% Avg |
| Tiktok Inc. | 0.4% | 65 | $204,000 | +20.8% Avg |
| Netflix, Inc. | 0.4% | 63 | $264,514 | +56.6% Avg |
| Wipro Limited | 0.4% | 60 | $132,579 | -21.5% Avg |
| Bytedance Inc. | 0.4% | 58 | $207,000 | +22.5% Avg |
| Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc. | 0.4% | 57 | $181,300 | +7.3% Avg |
| Snowflake Inc. | 0.3% | 51 | $187,741 | +11.1% Avg |
| Lucid USA, Inc. | 0.3% | 49 | $182,853 | +8.2% Avg |
| University Of California, Los Angeles | 0.3% | 48 | $103,675 | -38.6% Avg |
| University Of California, San Diego | 0.3% | 46 | $80,473 | -52.4% Avg |
| University Of California, Berkeley | 0.3% | 45 | $89,167 | -47.2% Avg |
| Anthropic, Pbc | 0.3% | 45 | $165,000 | -2.3% Avg |
| Snap Inc. | 0.3% | 42 | $174,015 | +3.0% Avg |
Complete Jobs Matrix
The job titles most frequently sponsored in this state.| Job Title in State | LCA Count | Median Pay | Salary Variance | Legal Wage Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | 1,200 | $193,000 | $289,098 Range | +$5,426 Over Min |
| Senior Software Engineer | 361 | $187,741 | $227,784 Range | +$17,613 Over Min |
| Staff Software Engineer | 187 | $213,512 | $189,362 Range | +$20,571 Over Min |
| Software Engineering Systems | 142 | $175,053 | $134,709 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Software Development Engineering | 142 | $184,974 | $131,082 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Member Of Technical Staff | 107 | $194,834 | $378,322 Range | +$7,260 Over Min |
| Software Engineering | 103 | $199,176 | $165,404 Range | +$11,602 Over Min |
| Software Developer | 101 | $140,000 | $176,900 Range | +$9,813 Over Min |
| Data Scientist | 99 | $174,304 | $232,887 Range | +$15,496 Over Min |
| Software Engineering Applications | 96 | $205,482 | $134,709 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Product Manager | 95 | $193,750 | $205,000 Range | +$27,642 Over Min |
| Software Development Engineer Ii | 88 | $180,200 | $93,933 Range | +$27,190 Over Min |
| Data Engineer | 80 | $175,958 | $191,340 Range | +$11,555 Over Min |
| Sr. Software Engineer | 75 | $182,523 | $114,414 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Research Scientist | 74 | $200,547 | $261,684 Range | +$32,421 Over Min |
| Machine Learning | 74 | $181,316 | $121,865 Range | +$1,110 Over Min |
| Software Dev Engineer Ii | 66 | $181,950 | $71,500 Range | +$28,940 Over Min |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | 62 | $77,030 | $40,100 Range | +$2,618 Over Min |
| Machine Learning Engineer | 62 | $219,016 | $225,000 Range | +$31,816 Over Min |
| Principal Software Engineer | 55 | $213,512 | $229,000 Range | +$25,771 Over Min |
| Software Development Engineer | 53 | $185,000 | $160,723 Range | +$2,397 Over Min |
| Computer Programmer | 52 | $108,650 | $98,850 Range | +$3,610 Over Min |
| Assistant Professor | 52 | $123,425 | $148,200 Range | +$45,705 Over Min |
| Technical Program Manager | 50 | $195,600 | $179,397 Range | +$18,904 Over Min |
| Assistant Project Scientist | 48 | $85,000 | $37,400 Range | +$1,050 Over Min |
| Project Manager | 47 | $127,514 | $130,809 Range | +$5,123 Over Min |
| Manager Jc50 - Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 47 | $115,835 | $59,155 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Product Manager | 45 | $181,293 | $158,597 Range | +$16,578 Over Min |
| Manager, Software Engineering | 43 | $224,600 | $133,643 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Manager | 43 | $177,932 | $114,512 Range | +$16,836 Over Min |
| Design Verification | 42 | $160,553 | $75,286 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Software Development Engineer - Firmware | 41 | $184,459 | $103,718 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Speech Language Pathologist | 41 | $92,269 | $60,673 Range | +$2,870 Over Min |
| Associate | 41 | $175,000 | $332,000 Range | +$44,584 Over Min |
| Engineer Senior Systems Software | 40 | $204,134 | $107,391 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Architect | 39 | $112,216 | $185,765 Range | +$2,662 Over Min |
| Senior Data Scientist | 39 | $172,170 | $166,761 Range | +$7,767 Over Min |
| Research Engineer | 36 | $230,000 | $212,000 Range | +$60,906 Over Min |
| Sr Software Engineer | 36 | $192,528 | $107,500 Range | +$36,715 Over Min |
| Software Engineer Ii | 35 | $157,581 | $108,000 Range | +$7,501 Over Min |
Historical Compensation Ledger
Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.| Fiscal Year | YoY Growth | Maximum | Median | Top-Heavy Skew i | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | In Progress | $400,000 | $168,200 | Balanced | $21.00/hr |
| 2025 | +3.9% | $400,000 | $155,000 | Balanced | $15.00/hr |
| 2024 | +5.5% | $400,000 | $149,136 | Balanced | $15.00/hr |
| 2023 | +1.0% | $400,000 | $141,378 | Balanced | $14.00/hr |
| 2022 | +6.6% | $400,000 | $140,000 | Balanced | $13.00/hr |
| 2021 | +8.2% | $400,000 | $131,300 | Balanced | $13.00/hr |
| 2020 | +9.0% | $400,000 | $121,306 | Balanced | $12.00/hr |
| 2019 | +3.1% | $400,000 | $111,280 | Balanced | $11.00/hr |
| 2018 | +11.9% | $400,000 | $107,890 | Balanced | $10.00/hr |
| 2017 | +4.5% | $400,000 | $96,429 | Balanced | $10.00/hr |
| 2016 | N/A | $400,000 | $92,290 | Balanced | $8.00/hr |
Recent Visa Filings (FY 2026)
Raw, unedited federal disclosures processed in this state.State Intelligence (FAQ)
Common questions and insights regarding California.What are the estimated state taxes for professionals in California?
Local state income tax averages approximately 9.3%. An H-1B worker taking home $168,920 here will pay an estimated $15,710 to the state.
What is the best-paying market in California?
Currently, San Francisco operates as the most lucrative market in California, offering professionals a median wage of $187,574.
What type of companies sponsor the most visas in California?
The Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services sector represents the biggest sponsor, making up 39.0% of all local visa requests.
What are the Green Card chances for H-1B workers in California?
Companies in California invest in long-term talent, filing 3,217 Green Card applications for a 19.9% conversion rate.