North America
Cost of living index
110
Typical salary range
140,000–230,000 USD
mid-level software engineer (5+ years), major tech hub average
Quick salary estimate
See your take-home pay for this country without leaving the page.
Most foreign tech workers are sponsored by an employer for an H-1B visa, but H-1B is numerically capped and allocated through an annual electronic LOTTERY each March — even with a firm job offer from a large tech company, selection is not guaranteed (the FY2026 selection rate was about 35%, up from roughly 29% in FY2025). Narrower alternatives exist: the O-1 visa for individuals with ’extraordinary ability’ (a high evidentiary bar, not lottery-based), and the L-1 intracompany transfer visa for employees who have already worked at least one year for the same multinational company abroad. There is no simple guaranteed employment-based visa pathway for most applicants.
H-1B (lottery)
Low certainty — not guaranteedLottery-based · annual electronic lottery in March; work eligibility begins the following October 1 if selected
Even with a willing employer sponsor, entry into H-1B is not guaranteed: USCIS runs a random lottery among all registrants each year, and only a fraction are selected (about 35% for FY2026).
Important
This is a general estimate for planning purposes only — not tax or immigration advice. Verify current rules with an official government source or a licensed professional before making a relocation decision.
Last verified: 7/23/2026
O-1 (Extraordinary Ability)
Medium certaintySelf-petition · roughly 2-4 months (faster with premium processing)
Requires substantial documented evidence of sustained national or international acclaim, which most early/mid-career engineers cannot meet.
L-1 (Intracompany Transfer)
Medium certaintyEmployer-sponsored · roughly 2-4 months (faster with premium processing)
Only available to employees who have worked at least one continuous year within the past three years for the same employer (or affiliate) outside the US in a managerial, executive, or specialized-knowledge role.
These are 2025 FEDERAL brackets only for a single filer; on top of this, most states also levy their own income tax (0% in Texas, Florida, and Washington vs. a top marginal rate near 13.3% in California), which can change your effective take-home pay dramatically depending where in the US the job is.
Large US tech companies commonly offer relocation packages, but a job offer alone does not guarantee a work visa outcome — H-1B depends on winning the annual lottery, and other categories only fit specific profiles. Immigration timelines are often uncertain and can span many months to years, so candidates should have contingency plans in case sponsorship falls through.
US tech workplace culture, especially in the Bay Area, Seattle, and New York City, tends to be fast-paced and performance-driven, with compensation among the highest in the world including significant equity components. Work-life balance and statutory time off are generally less emphasized than in much of Europe — there is no federal legal minimum for paid vacation.