United States · Sponsor data

Does Harvard University sponsor H-1B visas?

USCIS records show 668 approved H-1B petitions for Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) in fiscal years 2023 to 2026, ranking #211 among the employers listed on NorthAmericans.com. About 98.8% of its decided petitions in that period were approved. Historical approvals show past sponsorship activity; ask the employer whether a current role offers sponsorship.

On this page
  1. Harvard University: initial versus continuing approvals
  2. What Harvard University's H-1B records tell you
  3. Compare other H-1B sponsors
  4. Occupation and labor-certification evidence for this reported name
  5. Frequently asked questions
  6. Official sources
Key facts
Total H-1B approvals
668 (fiscal years 2023 to 2026)
Initial approvals, FY2026 (partial)
70
Continuing approvals, FY2026 (partial)
41
Approval rate (decided petitions)
98.8%
Petition location on file
Cambridge, MA
Industry (NAICS)
Education

H-1B petitions by fiscal year

  • Initial approvals
  • Continuing approvals
Fiscal yearTotal approvalsInitialContinuingInitial denialsContinuing denials
FY2023
Legacy export
173
1294410
FY2024
209
1426721
FY2025
175
1126311
FY2026
Partial year
111
704111

Source: USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub (FY2023 to FY2026). Partial coverage: FY2026: October 2025 through June 2026. FY2023 uses a legacy export and is excluded from the comparable-year analysis. Counts are petitions decided in each federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30), grouped by the employer name USCIS reports. "Initial" includes new employment and new concurrent employment; "continuing" includes extensions, changes of employer, amendments and changes with the same employer. Companies that file under several legal names can appear more than once.

Harvard University: initial versus continuing approvals

In FY2025, Harvard University recorded 112 initial approvals and 63 continuing approvals in the USCIS employer data. Initial petitions made up 64% of approvals. Its initial-approval rank was #91 among 1,000 listed employers with FY2025 records. This is a different ranking from the multi-year total shown above.

From FY2024 to FY2025, initial approvals moved from 142 to 112 (-21.1%); continuing approvals moved from 67 to 63 (-6%). A percentage change from a zero baseline is not comparable.

Complete fiscal year Initial approvals Continuing approvals Initial share
FY2024 142 67 67.9%
FY2025 112 63 64.0%

Initial petitions include new employment and new concurrent employment; they are not all first-time hires or cap-subject cases. Continuing petitions cover continuation, changes of employer, amendments and changes with the same employer. These groups follow USCIS Table 2. A higher initial share describes the mix of approved filings, not the probability of getting a job or visa. Compare the initial-approval leaders and complete-year trends.

What Harvard University's H-1B records tell you

The table separates initial petitions from continuing petitions. Initial approvals include new employment and new concurrent employment; continuing approvals include extensions, amendments and changes of employer. These are petition decisions, not a count of unique workers or open jobs.

Partial coverage: FY2026: October 2025 through June 2026. Use complete fiscal years for year-over-year trends. The approval rate describes decided petitions across the years shown; it does not predict the outcome of your application. Read the H-1B visa guide to understand the route and the employer sponsorship guide for the employer's steps.

Compare other H-1B sponsors

Browse H-1B sponsors in Massachusetts to compare employers based in the same state. The H-1B sponsor company list ranks employers using the same USCIS dataset. Before applying for a role, ask whether the employer will sponsor a new petition or a change of employer, and whether the position is eligible. Past approvals do not guarantee sponsorship for a particular job.

Occupation and labor-certification evidence for this reported name

The following DOL records match the employer name and reported state used on this page. They are labor-certification records and are not added to the USCIS petition approvals above. Name/state matching does not roll up affiliated filing entities.

Evidence type Covered period Certified cases Leading reported occupation Median lower wage offer, USD
H-1B labor condition applications FY2024 (complete) 232 Biological Scientists, All Other USD 80,000 / year
H-1B labor condition applications FY2025 (complete) 207 Biological Scientists, All Other USD 82,323 / year
H-1B labor condition applications FY2026 through Q3 120 Biological Scientists, All Other USD 77,210 / year
PERM labor certifications FY2024 (complete) 3 Assistant Professor Not enough comparable offers / year
PERM labor certifications FY2025 (complete) 14 Business Teachers, Postsecondary USD 182,948 / year
PERM labor certifications FY2026 through Q3 15 Business Teachers, Postsecondary USD 127,000 / year

Medians require at least five comparable wage observations. These are offered wages and historical certifications, not actual pay, current vacancies or actual hires. See the full source methodology and employer filing comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Does Harvard University sponsor H-1B visas for new hires?

USCIS approved 70 initial H-1B petitions for Harvard University in fiscal year 2026 (partial). Initial approvals cover new employment and new concurrent employment. They show historical filing activity, not a promise of sponsorship for a current vacancy.

What is the difference between initial and continuing approvals?

Initial approvals are for new employment or new concurrent employment. Continuing approvals include extensions, amendments and changes of employer.

Does H-1B sponsorship data guarantee a job offer will include sponsorship?

No. Past filings show a company has sponsored workers, not that every role is eligible. Ask the employer directly and confirm the role meets H-1B specialty occupation rules.

Official sources

  1. USCIS: H-1B Employer Data Hubuscis.gov
  2. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupationsuscis.gov

General information, not legal advice. NorthAmericans.com is independent and not affiliated with any government.