by Interstride
For international students looking to settle down long term in the United States, the H-1B visa is likely your best bet to continue working and living in the US. To obtain this visa, you must have sponsorship from your employer. If you’re seeking job opportunities in San Francisco, California, the following list contains the top 10 companies that sponsor H-1B visas in 2023.
What is H-1B visa sponsorship?
Among international students, the H-1B visa is a type of nonimmigrant work visa that allows international students to work and live in the US after graduation. The H-1B enables employers in the US to employ workers in specialized fields, so long as the employer can and will sponsor the employee. Due to high demand for H-1B visas, the USCIS enforces a limit on the number of visas that can be issued through a lottery system. H-1B visa applications are usually submitted by early March, with decisions released in late March/early April.
Why work in San Francisco?
Often referred to as the “Golden City,” San Francisco (SF) is located in both the infamous “Silicon Valley” and “Bay Area” in Northern California. The area boasts some of the biggest name tech companies in the world and is one of the largest entrepreneurial and technology economies in the US. Like every city, there are pros and cons to working and living in San Francisco. As an international student, here are some to consider:
Pros:
- Job Opportunities: San Francisco’s economy has drastically grown in the past decade. With Silicon Valley a stone’s throw away, the Bay Area is loaded with jobs in technology, engineering, business, and more, and is home to many large industry headquarters.San Francisco’s entrepreneurial ethos makes it a city full of networking and career opportunities.
- Cultural Diversity: Widely considered an open-minded city, SF is a robust and vibrant international community and offers international students an environment where people from all cultures and backgrounds are respected. The city has been deemed a “transplant” city, as many residents of San Francisco are not originally from the city.
- Transportation: Many residents of San Francisco do not own cars. To commute, residents bike or utilize rail, ferry, and bus systems scattered throughout the city and the Bay Area. The city’s public transit lines easily connect to the San Francisco International Airport, making it easy to travel domestically and abroad.
Cons:
- Cost of Living: Frequently topping the charts for highest rent and cost of living, San Francisco is expensive. However, jobs in STEM typically offer higher salaries than the national average. So, finding the right job opportunities, getting roommates, and spending smart can help you to offset the city’s high costs.
- Climate: The climate in San Francisco is generally mild. But the city’s infamous fog, sometimes lasting for months, is not for everyone. San Francisco can be quite gloomy and windy, so if you prefer a warmer climate, you should consider other parts of the US.
Top 10 companies sponsoring H-1B visas in San Francisco in 2023
| Rank | H-1B Visa Sponsor | Number of H-1B Applications | Average Salary for H-1B Employees |
| 1 | Salesforce | 897 | $159,340 |
| 2 | Uber Technologies | 435 | $154,266 |
| 3 | 368 | $158,494 | |
| 4 | Doordash | 271 | $184,154 |
| 5 | University Of California, San Francisco | 271 | $88,389 |
| 6 | 258 | $174,815 | |
| 7 | Ernst Young | 240 | $120,569 |
| 8 | Amazon | 209 | $142,141 |
| 9 | Cruise | 185 | $198,032 |
| 10 | Airbnb | 171 | $201,167 |
- 1. Salesforce: Salesforce is a cloud-based software company, known for their Marketing and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools. The company’s San Francisco headquarters is known as “Salesforce Tower,” the tallest building in the city. Salesforce is consistently rated by employees as one of the best companies to work at, with exciting jobs in Business Analytics, Software Development, Project Management, and Technology Architecture.
- 2. Uber Technologies: Uber is the most commonly used ride and transportation app in the US. The company is constantly reimagining and implementing new ways for the world to move. Uber SF is often looking to hire roles in product management and engineering, marketing, and strategic operations.
- 3. Google: One of the biggest names in the world, Google is at the center of innovation, technology, and engineering in San Francisco. While known for their popular product suites, Google is also a leader in world philanthropy and employee satisfaction. Their San Francisco office sits just next to the Golden Gate bridge, and the larger Google headquarters lives nearby in Silicon Valley.
- 4. Doordash: Doordash is a technology company that connects customers with restaurants, convenience, and grocery stores. The main career buckets on the business side of Doordash include Sales, Customer Experience, and IT.
- 5. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF): UCSF is a top research university, dedicated exclusively to health sciences. UCSF has more than 20 locations across the Bay Area, is the second largest employer in San Francisco, and is a leading hospital across the country.
- 6. Twitter: Twitter’s mission, values, and diversity are the qualities many employees most appreciate. With a commitment to career advancement and employee satisfaction, Twitter strives to keep its employees long term. Popular jobs at Twitter include positions in Data Management, Brand Strategy, Product and Software Engineering, and Customer Service.
- 7. Ernst Young: EY, a member of the “Big Four,” provides a variety of business and consulting services to industries and companies globally. It is often one of the leading companies in terms of the number of H-1B applications filed.
- 8. Amazon: The wide variety of services Amazon covers, means there are job opportunities of various kinds at the company. Amazon’s SF office is located in a hub of restaurants, cultural attractions, and other big name companies, making it a hub for networking and socializing.
- 9. Cruise: Cruise is a company focused on the automated vehicle industry, with services and jobs in software, mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence, simulation and more.
- 10. Airbnb: A rental marketplace, Airbnb was born and bred in San Francisco. The first “guests” were welcomed by hosts to their San Francisco home in 2007. Airbnb offers careers in Software Engineering, Business Analytics ,Customer and Relationship Management, and more. The company values the wellness and work life balance of its employees, and allows their employees to work nearly anywhere in the world while maintaining their competitive salary.
Final thoughts
Finding employment opportunities with companies that support international students can be a challenging and time-consuming process. Given that some employers may not be well-versed in the process of sponsoring an H-1B visa, you might want to start your job search with the companies above in San Francisco. To optimize your job search efforts and research companies’ sponsorship record, take advantage of the US Visa Insights tool on the Interstride portal.
