top employers
2021 top employers for initial H-1B approvals
141,194 H-1B approvals across 45,680 employers
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Breakdown of employer hiring by volume
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Every employer who hired 1,000+ employees, along with links to their career pages
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Search thousands of jobs with employers who hired 100+ employees, along with their career pages
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A rank from 1 to 45,680 of every company that hired an employee on an H-1B in 2021
OTHER PAGES YOU MAY LIKE:
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H-1B beneficiaries play a pivotal role in driving the growth and success of U.S. employers and businesses. Some of the nation's most prominent organizations heavily rely on H-1B workers, positioning them as leaders on the global stage.
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In the tech sector, major players like Amazon, Microsoft, Cognizant, IBM, Apple, and Facebook have each enlisted the talents of thousands of H-1B workers. Their collective achievements are staggering, with sales figures surpassing the GDP of many nations, underscoring the significant contributions of both American and foreign professionals.
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Consulting powerhouses like Infosys, Tata Consultancy, Wipro, Accenture, Deloitte, and McKinsey are instrumental in reshaping businesses through refined strategies, enhancing supply chains, and driving digital transformation across various sectors in the United States.
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In the healthcare sector, institutions like the Mayo Clinic, Children's Hospital Corporation, and Texas Health Resources are dedicated to saving lives and advancing healthcare through the contributions of H-1B professionals.
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Pharmaceutical giants such as Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca have made significant strides in producing COVID vaccines, promising to save lives and pave the way for a return to normalcy.
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In higher education, prestigious universities like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Brown, and others enlist the expertise of professors and researchers from around the globe, driving innovation and powering the U.S. education system forward.
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For individuals seeking H-1B opportunities, understanding the distribution of approvals among companies can provide valuable insights. By analyzing which firms consistently receive more approvals, aspiring H-1B candidates can gain valuable insights into potential job prospects and industry trends. Let's delve into the distribution of approvals and identify the companies that consistently secure a significant share of initial approvals.
Distribution of 2021 initial H-1B approvals by state
The distribution of H-1B visa approvals across different states reflects not only the economic landscape but also the concentration of industries that heavily rely on skilled foreign professionals. Here's why these ten states stand out for having the highest number of initial approvals:
Key Takeaways:
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California - With its renowned technology hubs in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, California attracts a significant number of H-1B visa holders in the information technology, engineering, and research sectors. The state's thriving startup ecosystem and presence of major tech giants make it a prime destination for skilled workers.
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New Jersey - New Jersey's proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, coupled with its diverse economy, contributes to its high number of H-1B approvals. Industries such as pharmaceuticals, finance, and telecommunications drive demand for skilled professionals in the state.
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Texas - Texas boasts a robust economy supported by industries like energy, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing. Major cities such as Houston, Dallas, and Austin attract H-1B talent seeking opportunities in a wide range of sectors, including oil and gas, IT, and healthcare.
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New York - As a global financial hub, New York City attracts H-1B professionals in finance, consulting, and information technology. The state's diverse economy, which includes sectors like media, healthcare, and education, further contributes to its high number of initial approvals.
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Washington - Home to tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Boeing, Washington State draws H-1B workers in software development, cloud computing, aerospace engineering, and other high-tech industries. The Seattle metropolitan area, in particular, is a hotspot for tech talent.
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Massachusetts - Massachusetts is known for its world-class universities, healthcare institutions, and biotechnology firms, attracting H-1B professionals in research, healthcare, education, and technology. The Boston metropolitan area serves as a magnet for skilled workers seeking opportunities in diverse fields.
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Illinois - With Chicago as its economic engine, Illinois hosts a diverse array of industries, including finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and technology. The state's central location and business-friendly environment make it an attractive destination for H-1B workers.
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Maryland - Maryland's proximity to Washington, D.C., contributes to its high number of H-1B approvals, with professionals sought after in industries such as cybersecurity, biotechnology, defense, and government contracting.
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Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania's diverse economy spans healthcare, education, manufacturing, and finance, with major cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh driving demand for skilled professionals in various sectors.
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Michigan - The automotive industry has historically dominated Michigan's economy, but the state has diversified in recent years to include advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and technology. Cities like Detroit and Ann Arbor attract H-1B talent in engineering, research, and IT.
EVERY COMPANY WITH OVER 100 H-1B HIRES IN 2021
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The companies that received the most H-1B initial approvals in 2021 were some of the biggest, as indicated by the Forbes Global 2000 list.
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Leading technology and consulting firms like Infosys Limited, Tata Consultancy Services, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Wipro Limited, alongside giants such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, dominate H-1B hiring due to their global operations, extensive client base, and high demand for skilled professionals in software development, data analysis, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. These companies often engage in outsourcing services, providing technology solutions and consulting expertise to clients worldwide, necessitating a diverse workforce capable of handling complex projects and delivering innovative solutions Look at our list below of the companies that successfully made significant hires, divided into those with over a thousand hires and those with over 100.
With such a broad scope of industries involved, it's no wonder H-1B workers hold considerable sway over the U.S. economy.
1000+ hires
*every company that hired a thousand or more workers on an H-1B in 2021
#1
Infosys Limited
"Infosys Ltd. is a digital services and consulting company, which engages in the provision of end-to-end business solutions.
#2
Amazon
"Amazon.com, Inc. is an American multinational technology company based in Seattle, Washington, which focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence."
#3
Tata Consultancy
Initial approvals in 2021: 3,063
2020 rank: 3
"Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. is an IT services, business solutions and outsourcing organization. The firm offers consulting-led, integrated portfolio of IT and IT-enabled services which includes application development and maintenance, business intelligence, enterprise solutions, assurance services, engineering and industrial services, infrastructure services, consulting, asset leveraged Solutions and business process services." (Read more at Forbes)
#4
Wipro Limited
"Wipro Ltd. is a global information technology, consulting and outsourcing company, which engages in the development and integration of solutions. It operates through the Information Technology Services and Information Technology Products segments." (Read more at Forbes)
#5
Cognizant Technologies
"Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. engages in the provision of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services. It operates through the following business segments: Financial Services; Healthcare; Products and Resources; and Communications, Media, and Technology." (Read more at Forbes)
#6
Google, Inc
"Google, Inc. focuses on improving the ways people connect with information. It provides variety of services and tools for advertisers of all sizes, from simple text ads to display and mobile advertising and to publishers, whether small or large. The company primarily focuses on the areas which include search, advertising, operating systems, platforms, enterprise and hardware products." (Source)
#7
IBM Corporation
"International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence (AI), and business services; its integrated solutions and products use data and information technology in industries and business processes. Its segments include Software, Consulting, Infrastructure and Financing." (Read more at Forbes)
#8
Microsoft Corporation
"Microsoft Corp. engages in the development and support of software, services, devices, and solutions. It operates through the following business segments: Productivity and Business Processes; Intelligent Cloud; and More Personal Computing." (Read more at Forbes)
#9
HCL America
"HCL Technologies Ltd. engages in computer programming, consultancy, and related activities. It operates through the following segments: Software Services; Information Technology (IT) Services; and Business Process Outsourcing Services.." (Read More at Forbes)
#10
"Facebook, Inc. operates as a social networking company worldwide. The company engages in the development of social media applications for people to connect through mobile devices, personal computers, and other surfaces. It enables users to share opinions, ideas, photos, videos, and other activities online. The firm's products include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Oculus." (Read more at Forbes)
#11
Tech Mahindra Americas
"Tech Mahindra Ltd. is a holding company, engages in the provision of information technology solutions. The firm operates through the following segments: Information Technology Business and Business Processing Outsourcing. It provides computer programming, consultancy and related services, networking technology solutions, and business support services to the global telecommunications industries." (Read more at Forbes)
Key Takeaways:
Big companies make big hires and the organizations that hired significant numbers of H-1B workers in 2021 also hired large numbers of H-1B workers in 2020.
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Technology and consulting companies were the leaders in hiring, as they were in 2020. But other types of organizations (medical, pharmaceutical, hospitals, and higher education institutions) also rely heavily on H-1B workers.
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1000+ hires
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The 13 firms with 1,000 or more new H-1B approvals in 2021 saw 26,502 new hires, more than half of total hires.
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Highly qualified persons seeking H-1B visas may seek to apply to the top companies - each company's career page is posted at right
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Each company that hired at least 1,000 new employees has a few things in common:
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All are on the Fortune 2,000 list; a list of the two thousand largest companies in the world​
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All are either in technology-related industries and/or offer consulting services
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Each company that hired 1,000+ employees in 2021 hired hundreds of employees in 2020
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100+ hires
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Organizations that hired between 100 and 999 employees were more diverse. While they also included companies in technology and consulting, they also included industries such as:
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Higher education
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Medicine and pharmaceuticals
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Hospitals
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Finance and banking
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Travel
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As with organizations that hired 1,000+ workers, these organizations also hired H-1B workers in prior years
100+ hires
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*every company that hired a hundred or more workers on an H-1B in 2020 ranked
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Links to each company's career page
# 13 CAPGEMINI AMERICA INC (Initial approvals = 889)
# 14 DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP (Initial approvals = 848)
# 15 AMAZON WEB SERVICES INC (Initial approvals = 722)
# 16 ORACLE AMERICA INC (Initial approvals = 535)
# 17 INTEL CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 522)
# 18 AMAZON DEVELOPMENT CENTER US INC (Initial approvals = 516)
# 19 ERNST YOUNG US LLP (Initial approvals = 485)
# 20 MINDTREE LIMITED (Initial approvals = 480)
# 21 HEXAWARE TECHNOLOGIES INC (Initial approvals = 423)
# 22 CISCO SYSTEMS INC (Initial approvals = 417)
# 23 QUALCOMM TECHNOLOGIES INC (Initial approvals = 410)
# 24 WAL MART ASSOCIATES INC (Initial approvals = 380)
# 25 MCKINSEY COMPANY INC UNITED STATES (Initial approvals = 365)
# 26 SALESFORCE COM INC (Initial approvals = 326)
# 27 CITIBANK NA (Initial approvals = 325)
# 28 JPMORGAN CHASE CO (Initial approvals = 325)
# 29 MGT HEALTH SYSS LLC DBA MEDPRO INT (Initial approvals = 315)
# 30 GOLDMAN SACHS CO LLC (Initial approvals = 314)
# 31 THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP INC (Initial approvals = 293)
# 32 LARSEN AND TOUBRO INFOTECH LIMITED (Initial approvals = 293)
# 33 ATOS SYNTEL INC (Initial approvals = 284)
# 34 CITIUSTECH INC (Initial approvals = 261)
# 35 VIRTUSA CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 258)
# 36 RANDSTAD TECHNOLOGIES LLC (Initial approvals = 256)
# 37 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP (Initial approvals = 255)
# 38 NVIDIA CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 254)
# 39 COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP INC (Initial approvals = 254)
# 40 TESLA INC (Initial approvals = 251)
# 41 L T TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LTD (Initial approvals = 238)
# 42 GOLDMAN SACHS SERVICES LLC (Initial approvals = 235)
# 43 YALE UNIVERSITY (Initial approvals = 231)
# 44 MPHASIS CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 231)
# 45 HARVARD UNIVERSITY (Initial approvals = 229)
# 46 PAYPAL INC (Initial approvals = 223)
# 47 THE LELAND STANFORD JR UNIVERSITY (Initial approvals = 211)
# 48 EBAY INC (Initial approvals = 205)
# 49 UNIV OF IL AT URBANA CHAMPAIGN (Initial approvals = 204)
# 50 WAYFAIR LLC (Initial approvals = 203)
# 51 THE MATHWORKS INC (Initial approvals = 195)
# 52 VMWARE INC (Initial approvals = 194)
# 53 EFICENS SYSTEMS LLC (Initial approvals = 185)
# 54 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (Initial approvals = 181)
# 55 GEN HOSP CORP D/B/A MASS GEN HOSP (Initial approvals = 178)
# 56 BLOOMBERG LP (Initial approvals = 176)
# 57 THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIV (Initial approvals = 171)
# 58 LINKEDIN CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 168)
# 59 BIRLASOFT SOLUTIONS INC (Initial approvals = 167)
# 60 MARLABS INC (Initial approvals = 167)
# 61 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS ADVISORY SE (Initial approvals = 165)
# 62 UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC (Initial approvals = 159)
# 63 VIRTUSA CONSULTING SVCS PVT LTD (Initial approvals = 150)
# 64 CUMMINS INC (Initial approvals = 148)
# 65 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (Initial approvals = 148)
# 66 INTUIT INC (Initial approvals = 147)
# 67 INFINITE COMPUTER SOLUTIONS INC (Initial approvals = 146)
# 68 MAYO CLINIC (Initial approvals = 145)
# 69 JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (Initial approvals = 140)
# 70 UST GLOBAL INC (Initial approvals = 138)
# 71 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND (Initial approvals = 138)
# 72 MASSACHUSETTS INST OF TECHNOLOGY (Initial approvals = 136)
# 73 CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES USA LLC (Initial approvals = 136)
# 74 EMC CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 133)
# 75 UNIV OF WI SYSTEM/MADISON (Initial approvals = 133)
# 76 NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH/HHS (Initial approvals = 132)
# 77 ADOBE INC (Initial approvals = 132)
# 78 ZS ASSOCIATES INC (Initial approvals = 131)
# 79 AMGEN INC (Initial approvals = 131)
# 80 MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC (Initial approvals = 126)
# 81 SAVANNAH CHATHAM COUNTY PUBLIC SCH (Initial approvals = 126)
# 82 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (Initial approvals = 126)
# 83 THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (Initial approvals = 126)
# 84 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN (Initial approvals = 125)
# 85 KFORCE INC (Initial approvals = 125)
# 86 RED HAT INC (Initial approvals = 124)
# 87 TATA ELXSI LIMITED (Initial approvals = 123)
# 88 APPLIED MATERIALS INC (Initial approvals = 123)
# 89 SYNECHRON INC (Initial approvals = 122)
# 90 UNIV OF MA MEDICAL SCHOOL (Initial approvals = 119)
# 91 BRILLIO LLC (Initial approvals = 118)
# 92 EPAM SYSTEMS INC (Initial approvals = 116)
# 93 BYTEDANCE INC (Initial approvals = 116)
# 94 CGI TECHNOLOGIES AND SOLUTIONS INC (Initial approvals = 115)
# 95 ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT (Initial approvals = 114)
# 96 POPULUS GROUP LLC (Initial approvals = 113)
# 97 UNIV OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO (Initial approvals = 113)
# 98 CLEVELAND CLINIC (Initial approvals = 112)
# 99 CHILDRENS HOSPITAL CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 112)
# 100 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP (Initial approvals = 111)
# 101 COMPUTER SCIENCES CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 111)
# 102 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC (Initial approvals = 110)
# 103 BAIN & COMPANY INC (Initial approvals = 109)
# 104 ADP TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INC (Initial approvals = 108)
# 105 UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER (Initial approvals = 107)
#106 XORIANT CORPORATION (Initial approvals = 104)
#107 EXLSERVICE COM LLC (Initial approvals = 104)
#108 E GIANTS TECHNOLOGIES LLC (Initial approvals = 104)
#109 QUEST GLOBAL SERVICES-NA INC (Initial approvals = 101)
#12
Accenture
"Accenture Plc engages in the provision of management consulting, technology, and outsourcing services. It operates through the following segments: Communications, Media, and Technology; Financial Services; Health and Public Service; Products; Resources; and Other." (Read more at Forbes)
#13
Apple Inc.
"Apple, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and other variety of related services. It operates through the following geographical segments: Americas, Europe, Greater China, Japan, and Rest of Asia Pacific." (Read more at Forbes)
Top Industries Receiving Initial H-1B Visa Approvals
The H-1B visa program serves as a vital pathway for U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers across a spectrum of industries. While this list highlights the top industries by initial H-1B visa approvals, it's important to note that these sectors represent a portion of the diverse range of fields benefiting from this program.
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Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (25,621 approvals): Covering a broad array of professions including legal, engineering, and consulting, this sector demands specialized expertise, making H-1B visas crucial for filling skill gaps.
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Manufacturing (6,852 approvals): From engineering to operations management, manufacturing firms rely on H-1B visas to access global talent pools, fostering innovation and competitiveness.
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Health Care and Social Assistance (5,278 approvals): With an increasing demand for healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses, H-1B visas are essential for hospitals and social assistance organizations to address staffing needs.
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Finance and Insurance (4,048 approvals): Finance and insurance companies utilize H-1B visas to recruit talent in finance, accounting, and risk management, contributing to effective financial management and risk mitigation.
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Information (3,519 approvals): Tech companies leverage H-1B visas to hire skilled professionals in software development, data analysis, and cybersecurity, driving innovation in the information sector.
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Educational Services (3,156 approvals): Universities and educational institutions benefit from H-1B visas to attract faculty and researchers, enhancing academic excellence and fostering global collaboration.
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Timber Tract Operations (2,539 approvals): Sustainable forest management requires expertise in forestry management and environmental science, with H-1B visas supporting operations in timber tract operations.
These industries represent the top recipients of initial H-1B visa approvals, reflecting the diverse spectrum of fields reliant on skilled foreign talent to support their growth and innovation. However, it's essential to recognize that numerous other sectors, including wholesale trade, construction, retail trade, and more, also benefit from the program, albeit with varying approval numbers. The H-1B visa program serves as a cornerstone for U.S. businesses, facilitating the recruitment of global talent and driving economic progress across multiple industries.