How Much Does It Cost to Sponsor a Worker in the USA? (2026 Fees)
As of September 2026, US government fees to sponsor one worker range from about $800 for a TN or O-1 petition at a small employer to well over $5,000 for an H-1B or L-1 at a large company using premium processing, before legal fees. Most fees depend on company size: employers with 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees and nonprofits pay reduced filing and Asylum Program fees. The $100,000 H-1B proclamation payment is not being collected while a June 8, 2026 court ruling stands.
On this page
- Fee source
- USCIS G-1055 fee schedule, edition 09/09/26
- Small employer
- 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees
- Premium processing
- $2,965 for most work petitions; $1,780 for H-2B (since Mar 1, 2026)
- H-1B registration
- $215 per worker
- Asylum Program Fee
- $600 standard, $300 small, $0 nonprofit
- $100,000 H-1B payment
- Not collected since June 8, 2026 ruling
- Costs the worker can never pay
- H-1B ACWIA fee, PERM costs, H-2 recruitment fees
USCIS petition fees by visa type
All amounts are in US dollars, as of September 2026, from the USCIS fee schedule (G-1055, edition 09/09/26). Filing online is cheaper where shown.
| Form and category | Standard employer | 25 or fewer FTEs or nonprofit |
|---|---|---|
| I-129 H-1B | $780 paper / $730 online | $460 |
| I-129 L-1 | $1,385 | $695 |
| I-129 O-1 | $1,055 | $530 |
| I-129 E or TN | $1,015 paper / $965 online | $510 |
| I-129 H-2A or H-2B | See the G-1055 (depends on named or unnamed workers) | See the G-1055 |
| I-140 immigrant petition | $715 paper / $665 online | Same |
Added to every I-129 and I-140: the Asylum Program Fee: $600 standard, $300 for employers with 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees, and $0 for nonprofits.
Extra fees that only some employers pay
| Fee | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| H-1B registration | $215 per worker | Cap-subject H-1B lottery, each March |
| ACWIA training fee (H-1B) | $750 for 1-25 employees; $1,500 for 26 or more | Most H-1B petitions; some employers, such as universities, are exempt. Never charged to the worker |
| Fraud prevention and detection fee | $500 (H-1B, L-1); $150 (H-2B) | Initial petitions and changes of employer; not same-employer extensions; not for H-1B1 |
| Public Law 114-113 fee | $4,000 (H-1B); $4,500 (L-1) | Only employers with 50+ US employees where more than half are in H-1B or L status; for petitions filed through September 30, 2027 |
| Premium processing (Form I-907) | $2,965 for H-1B, L, O, E, TN, and EB-1/2/3 I-140s; $1,780 for H-2B and R | Optional; USCIS acts within its deadline (usually 15 business days) |
| $100,000 H-1B proclamation payment | $100,000 | Not being collected (see below) |
About the $100,000 payment. A September 19, 2025 proclamation requires it for certain new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US. A federal court in Massachusetts vacated the implementing guidance on June 8, 2026, and the First Circuit refused a stay on July 24, 2026, so USCIS is not collecting it. A September 18, 2026 proclamation extended the policy to September 21, 2027. DHS says it will collect if the court order is lifted. Track it on our H-1B $100k status page.
Worked examples
USCIS fees only, online filing where available, as of September 2026. Legal fees, advertising, and travel are extra.
| Scenario | 20-person company | 200-person company |
|---|---|---|
| New cap H-1B (registration, I-129, Asylum, ACWIA, fraud) | $215 + $460 + $300 + $750 + $500 = $2,225 | $215 + $730 + $600 + $1,500 + $500 = $3,545 |
| Same, with premium processing | $5,190 | $6,510 |
| H-1B transfer from another employer (no registration) | $2,010 | $3,330 |
| First H-1B extension, same employer (no fraud fee) | $1,510 | $2,830 |
| L-1 individual petition | $695 + $300 + $500 = $1,495 | $1,385 + $600 + $500 = $2,485 |
| O-1 petition | $530 + $300 = $830 | $1,055 + $600 = $1,655 |
| TN petition through USCIS | $510 + $300 = $810 | $965 + $600 = $1,565 |
| I-140 green card petition (online) | $665 + $300 = $965 | $665 + $600 = $1,265 |
A Canadian applying for TN at the border pays only CBP's fee, and there is no USCIS petition. Run your own numbers in the sponsorship cost estimator.
Who is allowed to pay which costs?
Some costs must stay with the employer by law:
- H-1B ACWIA fee: always the employer.
- H-1B petition and legal fees: DOL treats them as the employer's business expense; charging the worker cannot reduce pay below the required wage.
- PERM labor certification costs (attorney fees, advertising): always the employer. See PERM for employers.
- H-2A and H-2B recruitment fees: never charged to workers, by you or your recruiters. Visa costs and travel must be reimbursed under DOL rules.
- Premium processing may be paid by the worker only if it is for the worker's own benefit.
Worker-side costs often include the consular visa fee, the $250 Visa Integrity Fee at issuance (rollout uneven in 2026), medical exams for green cards, and adjustment of status fees. Many employers pay these too as a hiring incentive.
How timing affects cost
| Route | Typical timing driver | When premium processing helps |
|---|---|---|
| H-1B cap | March lottery; October 1 start | Faster decision, not an earlier start date |
| H-1B transfer or cap-exempt | USCIS queue | Yes |
| L-1, O-1, TN (USCIS) | USCIS queue | Yes |
| H-2B | DOL certification and the cap | Sometimes, to beat the cap filling |
| PERM green card | DOL queues, then visa bulletin | Only for the I-140 stage |
Check current USCIS times on the processing times tool and DOL's on FLAG.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to sponsor an H-1B in 2026?
For a new cap-subject worker, USCIS fees are about $2,225 for an employer with 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees and $3,545 for a larger employer filing online, as of September 2026, before premium processing ($2,965) and legal fees. The $100,000 payment is not being collected.
What counts as a small employer for USCIS fees?
An employer with 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees qualifies for the reduced I-129 fee and the $300 Asylum Program Fee. Nonprofits pay the reduced I-129 fee and no Asylum Program Fee.
Is the $100,000 H-1B fee being charged?
No. As of September 22, 2026, USCIS is not collecting it because a Massachusetts federal court vacated the implementing guidance on June 8, 2026 and the First Circuit refused a stay.
Can the employee reimburse us for visa costs?
It depends on the cost. The H-1B ACWIA fee, PERM costs, and H-2 recruitment fees can never be passed to workers, and DOL rules limit charging H-1B petition costs. Get advice before any repayment agreement.
Did premium processing go up in 2026?
Yes. For petitions postmarked on or after March 1, 2026, it rose to $2,965 for most work petitions and I-140s, and $1,780 for H-2B and R-1.
Which visa is cheapest for employers?
A TN for a Canadian citizen applying at the border is usually cheapest, since there is no USCIS petition. Among USCIS petitions, O-1 and TN filing fees are lower than H-1B once the ACWIA and fraud fees are added.
Official sources
- USCIS: Fee Schedule (G-1055)uscis.gov
- USCIS: Form I-907, Premium Processinguscis.gov
- Federal Register: Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees (January 12, 2026)federalregister.gov
- USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupationsuscis.gov
- State Department: Fees for Visa Servicestravel.state.gov
General information, not legal advice. NorthAmericans.com is independent and not affiliated with any government.