Microsoft H-1B Visa Sponsorship Data 2026
Microsoft filed 5,107 H-1B labor condition applications in fiscal year 2026, ranking #7 out of 1,000 sponsoring employers in our database — down 44.5% from last year.
Of those filings, 100.0% were certified by the Department of Labor, with a median offered salary of $177,000, 40% above the national H-1B median of $126,403.
54% of Microsoft's filings were at prevailing-wage Level III or above. Under the 2026 wage-weighted lottery, that translates to an average of 2.6 lottery entries per candidate — meaning its candidates get meaningfully better odds than the typical Level I–II filing.
Microsoft's most-sponsored roles in FY2026 were Software Engineering (3,181 cases), Product Management (265 cases), Applied Sciences (234 cases). Its heaviest H-1B hiring was in WA (3,519), CA (639), TX (265).
FY2026 filings
5,107
Rank #7 nationally
Approval rate
100.0%
5,107 certified
Median salary
$177,000
National median $126,403
Avg. lottery entries
2.6×
Wage-weighted system
H-1B lottery positioning
Under the 2026 wage-weighted lottery, Level I filings receive 1 entry, Level II get 2, Level III get 3, and Level IV get 4. 54% of Microsoft's FY2026 filings were Level III or above, giving its candidates an average of 2.6 entries per filing.
Most-sponsored job titles
| Job title | Filings | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineering | 3,181 | $179,958 |
| Product Management | 265 | $187,083 |
| Applied Sciences | 234 | $186,801 |
| Technical Program Management | 162 | $185,649 |
| Data Science | 155 | $177,751 |
| Silicon Engineering | 111 | $194,197 |
| Technical Support Engineering | 68 | $136,247 |
| Financial Analysis | 58 | $146,340 |
| Product Design | 55 | $177,260 |
| Product Marketing | 53 | $158,371 |
Top worksite states
WA
3,519 filings
CA
639 filings
TX
265 filings
GA
147 filings
NY
106 filings
NC
88 filings
MA
74 filings
NJ
44 filings
OR
31 filings
VA
28 filings
Year-over-year trend
Microsoft filed 9,193 H-1B applications in FY2025 versus 5,107 in FY2026 — a decrease of 44.5%.
Microsoft H-1B FAQs
Does Microsoft sponsor H-1B visas?
Yes. Microsoft filed 5,107 H-1B labor condition applications in FY2026, ranking #7 nationally. A labor condition application (LCA) is the required first step before an H-1B petition, so this filing volume is a strong signal of active sponsorship.
What is Microsoft's H-1B approval rate?
100.0% of Microsoft's FY2026 H-1B filings were certified by the Department of Labor. Note that LCA certification is distinct from USCIS petition approval, but a high certification rate indicates clean, compliant filings.
How much does Microsoft pay H-1B workers?
Microsoft's median offered salary for H-1B roles in FY2026 was $177,000 (average $178,973). Individual offers vary by role, level, and worksite — the tables above break it down by job title.
Which jobs does Microsoft sponsor most on H-1B?
Software Engineering leads with 3,181 filings in FY2026 at an average offered salary of $179,958. Other frequently sponsored roles are listed in the table above.
Where does Microsoft hire H-1B workers?
WA is Microsoft's top H-1B worksite state with 3,519 filings in FY2026, followed by CA (639) and TX (265). Worksite reflects where the job is performed, which may differ from headquarters.
What are the H-1B lottery odds at Microsoft?
No employer can guarantee lottery selection, but wage levels matter: under the 2026 wage-weighted system, Level I filings get 1 entry while Level IV get 4. Based on Microsoft's FY2026 wage mix, its candidates averaged 2.6 entries per filing. Higher-wage offers at the same employer carry better odds.
Other top H-1B sponsors
EY (Ernst & Young)
5,403 filings
Meta (Facebook)
5,151 filings
Infosys
4,610 filings
Deloitte
4,230 filings
Data source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — Labor Condition Application disclosure data, FY2024–FY2026. An LCA is filed by the employer before an H-1B petition; disclosure data does not indicate USCIS petition outcomes. Last updated: October 2026.