{
  "slug": "work-visa-sponsorship-cost",
  "title": "Work Visa Sponsorship Cost Calculator (H-1B)",
  "heading": "H-1B Work Visa Sponsorship Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/work-visa-sponsorship-cost",
  "summary": "Estimate employer and employee costs for sponsoring an H-1B work visa.",
  "description": "H-1B sponsorship splits costs between employer and employee, and DOL rules require employers to cover most fees so the arrangement isn't treated as an illegal wage deduction. Standard employer-side costs include the $780 basic filing fee, $600 fraud prevention fee, ACWIA training fee ($750-$1,500 based on company size), and for larger H-1B-dependent employers, an additional $4,000 fee. Premium processing, if used for a 15-day decision, costs an extra $2,805 and can legally be paid by either party. Attorney fees for the petition typically run $2,500-$6,000. This calculator totals mandatory employer fees separately from optional premium processing and legal fees so a company can budget its real per-hire sponsorship cost, which routinely lands between $5,000 and $12,000 all-in.",
  "formula": "Total = base fee + fraud prevention fee + ACWIA fee + (dependent employer fee) + premium processing + attorney fee.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=work-visa-sponsorship-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "baseFee",
      "label": "Base I-129 filing fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 780,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "fraudFee",
      "label": "Fraud prevention & detection fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 600,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "acwiaFee",
      "label": "ACWIA training fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "dependent",
      "label": "H-1B dependent employer (25%+ H-1B workforce, smaller companies)",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "no",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "no",
          "label": "No"
        },
        {
          "value": "yes",
          "label": "Yes — add $4,000 fee"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "premium",
      "label": "Use premium processing?",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "no",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "no",
          "label": "No"
        },
        {
          "value": "yes",
          "label": "Yes — add $2,805"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "attorney",
      "label": "Attorney fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Total employer cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "mandatory",
      "label": "Mandatory government fees",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "optional",
      "label": "Optional (premium + attorney)",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Base I-129 filing fee: 780 $",
      "Fraud prevention & detection fee: 600 $",
      "ACWIA training fee: 1500 $",
      "H-1B dependent employer (25%+ H-1B workforce, smaller companies): No",
      "Use premium processing?: No",
      "Attorney fee: 3500 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Total employer cost: $6,380",
      "Mandatory government fees: $2,880",
      "Optional (premium + attorney): $3,500"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter base i-129 filing fee ($).",
      "Enter fraud prevention & detection fee ($).",
      "Enter acwia training fee ($).",
      "Enter h-1b dependent employer (25%+ h-1b workforce, smaller companies).",
      "Enter use premium processing?.",
      "Enter attorney fee ($).",
      "Read your total employer cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "baseFee": 470,
        "fraudFee": 360,
        "acwiaFee": 900,
        "dependent": "no",
        "premium": "no",
        "attorney": 2100
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "baseFee": 780,
        "fraudFee": 600,
        "acwiaFee": 1500,
        "dependent": "no",
        "premium": "no",
        "attorney": 3500
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "baseFee": 1250,
        "fraudFee": 960,
        "acwiaFee": 2400,
        "dependent": "no",
        "premium": "no",
        "attorney": 5600
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Can the employee pay any of these fees?",
      "a": "Legally, the base filing fee, fraud prevention fee, and ACWIA training fee must be paid by the employer and cannot be passed to the employee, even voluntarily, per DOL wage rules. Premium processing and attorney fees can be paid by either party if agreed in advance, but most companies still cover them to stay competitive for candidates."
    },
    {
      "q": "What is the ACWIA fee tier based on?",
      "a": "It's $750 for employers with 25 or fewer full-time employees and $1,500 for employers with more than 25, and it funds worker training and scholarship programs. It's charged once per petition, not per year of the visa."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does the lottery cost anything?",
      "a": "Yes, a $215 electronic registration fee per registrant is charged during the March lottery period before a full petition is even filed, and it's non-refundable whether or not the registration is selected."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why do costs vary so much between companies?",
      "a": "Attorney fee structures differ (flat fee vs. hourly), some companies negotiate volume discounts for filing many H-1Bs per year, and dependent employer status adds $4,000 only for companies with a high proportion of H-1B workers relative to total US workforce."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/visa-application-cost",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/green-card-sponsorship-cost",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/attorney-hourly-vs-flat-fee"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Work Visa Sponsorship Cost Calculator (H-1B) (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/work-visa-sponsorship-cost)"
}