When should I apply to Microsoft for H1B sponsorship?

Microsoft cross-orgs frequently transfer H-1B sponsorship between teams. Apply broadly across Azure, M365, and Gaming for the best odds. Microsoft typically files H1B cap petitions during the March-to-June USCIS window for an October 1 start date — submit applications at least 6-8 weeks before March to leave room for interviews and offer negotiation.

Is Microsoft cap-subject or cap-exempt?

Microsoft is a cap-subject employer, meaning new H1B petitions enter the annual lottery (65,000 regular + 20,000 advanced-degree). Cap-exempt status is generally limited to universities, non-profit research institutions, and government research organizations.

Can I transfer my H1B to Microsoft mid-year?

Yes. H1B portability lets you start at Microsoft as soon as the new H1B petition is filed (and a USCIS receipt is issued). Transfers are not cap-subject, so they bypass the lottery.

What roles does Microsoft sponsor most?

Microsoft's top sponsored roles include Software Engineer, Program Manager, Cloud Solution Architect. These match the dominant USCIS occupational codes on the firm's LCA filings.

Where does Microsoft place H1B hires?

Sponsorship concentrates in Redmond, WA, Bellevue, WA, Mountain View, CA and a few additional metros. The published worksite address on each LCA is publicly searchable via the DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification.

What's the typical Microsoft H1B salary?

The median LCA-filed wage at Microsoft is roughly $168,000 per year. Actual offered comp is usually higher — base + bonus + equity for senior engineering roles routinely exceeds the LCA floor by 30-60%.

Microsoft H1B Sponsorship — ~9,000 Visas, $168,000 Median Salary

Microsoft files H1B petitions across the technology sector. Below are the 3-year approval totals, USCIS median wage, top sponsored job functions, and a step-by-step path to apply via Workzil — the AI layer on top of 50+ job boards.

Last updated 2026-05-18 · By Adaeze Okonkwo, Immigration Pathways Analyst

3-yr H1B approvals: ~9,000; FY22-FY24 aggregate (est.)
Median LCA wage: $168,000; USCIS prevailing-wage estimate
Industry: Technology

Find Microsoft-style sponsored roles

Microsoft H1B sponsorship at a glance

Across FY2022, FY2023, and FY2024, Microsoft filed approximately 9,000 approved H1B petitions per the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub . The median Labor Condition Application wage on those filings is roughly $168,000, which reflects the dominant occupational code across the firm's sponsorship pipeline. The actual offered salary for a given role is typically higher than the LCA floor — recruiters will negotiate above the prevailing wage to stay competitive in the market.

Microsoft's sponsorship volume places it among the largest technology employers using the H1B program. The company maintains a published careers page at careers.microsoft.com where active sponsored roles are listed alongside non-sponsored postings. Filter for visa-sponsorship intent directly in Workzil to skip the manual review.

Top job functions Microsoft sponsors

Most Microsoft H1B filings concentrate in a small handful of role families. These are the dominant ones, with the kind of background that maps best to each.

Software Engineer
High sponsorship volume at Microsoft. Tailor your resume to the team-specific stack and the USCIS SOC code listed on the relevant LCA filing.
Browse jobs
Program Manager
High sponsorship volume at Microsoft. Tailor your resume to the team-specific stack and the USCIS SOC code listed on the relevant LCA filing.
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Cloud Solution Architect
High sponsorship volume at Microsoft. Tailor your resume to the team-specific stack and the USCIS SOC code listed on the relevant LCA filing.
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Data & Applied Scientist
High sponsorship volume at Microsoft. Tailor your resume to the team-specific stack and the USCIS SOC code listed on the relevant LCA filing.
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Security Engineer
High sponsorship volume at Microsoft. Tailor your resume to the team-specific stack and the USCIS SOC code listed on the relevant LCA filing.
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Where Microsoft sponsors H1B roles

Microsoft concentrates H1B hiring in 5 metros. Cost of living and tax rates vary widely — base salary offers usually adjust to reflect each city's prevailing wage band, but a delta of $30-60K between coastal and inland markets is normal.

Redmond, WA
Puget Sound — no state income tax, very competitive comp.
Bellevue, WA
Puget Sound — no state income tax, very competitive comp.
Mountain View, CA
Bay Area — highest US tech salaries, highest cost of living.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta metro — large finance and tech footprint, low cost of living.
New York, NY
NYC metro — high comp, high state and city tax burden.

See BLS Occupational Employment Statistics for metro-by-metro wage benchmarks.

How to apply for Microsoft H1B roles via Workzil

Workzil is the AI layer on top of 50+ job boards. Instead of opening Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, and Microsoft's own careers page in separate tabs, you set your visa profile once and the platform surfaces only the postings that match. Microsoft cross-orgs frequently transfer H-1B sponsorship between teams. Apply broadly across Azure, M365, and Gaming for the best odds.

Set your visa profile — declare your current status and required sponsorship type in Workzil so the AI tags every match accordingly.
Tailor your resume for Microsoft — the resume builder aligns bullets with the SOC code Microsoft typically files under.
Auto-apply across Microsoft's active postings — the browser extension fills application forms across the company's careers portal and any third-party board it syndicates to.
Run interview prep loops tuned for Microsoft — practice with realistic prompts pulled from sponsored-role interview patterns at peer companies.

Find more H1B-sponsoring roles like this

Microsoft sits in the technology cluster. The peer sponsors below run similar visa pipelines and often hire from the same candidate pool. Apply to a basket of them at once via Workzil to maximize your shot at the H1B cap window.

Amazon
~25,000 3-yr approvals · $165,000 median wage
Google
~12,000 3-yr approvals · $178,000 median wage
Meta
~8,000 3-yr approvals · $182,000 median wage
Apple
~7,500 3-yr approvals · $172,000 median wage

Browse the full tracker: all H1B sponsors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Informational only — consult an immigration attorney for case-specific guidance.

Microsoft H1B Sponsorship — ~9,000 Visas, $168,000 Median Salary

Last updated 2026-05-18 · By Adaeze Okonkwo, Immigration Pathways Analyst

3-yr H1B approvals

~9,000

FY22-FY24 aggregate (est.)

Median LCA wage

$168,000

USCIS prevailing-wage estimate

Industry

Technology

Microsoft H1B sponsorship at a glance

Top job functions Microsoft sponsors

Most Microsoft H1B filings concentrate in a small handful of role families. These are the dominant ones, with the kind of background that maps best to each.

Software Engineer