When people search for U.S. visa sponsorship, they usually find lists of technology companies. But tech is only one part of the picture. Hospitals sponsor nurses and therapists for green cards, resorts and construction firms hire seasonal workers on H-2B visas, and farms bring in workers through the H-2A program. Each route has different rules, different waiting times and very different pay.
This guide focuses on those routes for 2027. It explains what each one involves, what workers can realistically earn, what has changed recently, and how to tell a genuine offer from a scam.
First, what does sponsorship really involve?
A U.S. employer “sponsors” you by filing petitions with the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) saying it needs your work and will pay the required wage. Three points apply to every route in this guide:
- The employer starts the process. In most work categories you cannot apply on your own.
- No one can guarantee approval. Government agencies make the decisions, not recruiters.
- A job offer must be real and in writing. It should name the employer, the job, the pay and the place of work.
Quick comparison of the main routes
| Route | Typical jobs | Status you receive | Lottery? | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-3 green card (Schedule A) | Registered nurses, physical therapists | Permanent residence | No | Wait times set by the Visa Bulletin |
| EB-3 “other workers” | Less-skilled permanent roles | Permanent residence | No | Backlog of several years |
| H-2B | Construction, landscaping, hospitality, seafood | Temporary, usually up to nine months | Capped at 66,000 per year | Limited slots; employer-driven |
| H-2A | Farm and agricultural work | Temporary, seasonal | No fixed annual cap | Wage rules and housing requirements |
| H-1B | Degree-level specialty jobs | Temporary, up to six years | Yes | Annual cap and wage-weighted selection |
| TN | Eligible Canadian and Mexican professionals, including RNs | Temporary, renewable | No | Citizenship-specific |
Route 1: Nurses and therapists on EB-3 green cards
Nursing is one of the few fields where an employer can sponsor a foreign worker for permanent residence directly. Registered nurses and physical therapists are on the Department of Labor’s Schedule A list of shortage occupations, so the employer generally skips the standard PERM recruitment step and the Department of Labor review that other green card applicants face. The employer still has to request a prevailing wage determination and file an immigrant petition for you.
Hospitals have leaned on this route for years. An industry leader who runs an international recruitment association said in 2023 that about one in six registered nurses working in the U.S. is an immigrant.
What you usually need
- A nursing degree and a license or eligibility to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.
- English proficiency scores that meet the standards for your target state and employer.
- A health-care visa screening and credentials review from the appropriate agency (see the CGFNS link below).
- A written employer commitment to file the green card petition.
What nurses can expect to earn
Pay depends heavily on location, specialty and shift. Two real-world examples from March 2026 listings illustrate the range:
- A staffing-agency listing for experienced RNs in New Jersey advertised $34 to $38 an hour, plus overtime, shift differentials, EB-3 sponsorship and some relocation help. For a full-time schedule of 2,080 hours, that works out to roughly $70,700 to $79,000 a year before overtime and tax.
- A hospital listing aimed at Canadian and Mexican RNs advertised $39 to $52 an hour including differentials, a $5,000 relocation bonus, and green card sponsorship after onboarding. At full-time hours that is about $81,000 to $108,000 a year.
Salary guides for sponsored nurses commonly cite $75,000 to $120,000 or more. The high end usually involves overtime, night shifts, high-cost cities or advanced practice credentials. Be skeptical of websites that promote “$138,000 nurse jobs with visa sponsorship” as a standard offer. That figure is not typical for a newly arrived registered nurse.
Employers named in industry guides
Third-party guides name large health systems such as HCA Healthcare, Tenet Health and Ascension as having international nurse recruitment programs. Programs change over time and by hospital, and staffing agencies also recruit on behalf of facilities, so confirm directly with the employer’s HR department that sponsorship is currently available for your role.
Read the contract carefully
Some recruitment agencies attach commitments to sponsorship, such as a minimum period of employment with early-departure penalties. Ask for the full contract before you sign. Check what happens if you leave early, who pays exam and licensing fees, and what relocation support is guaranteed.
How long does the wait take?
EB-3 has no lottery, but green card numbers are limited and the Visa Bulletin sets monthly cutoff dates. In the November 2026 bulletin, the EB-3 final action date for most countries (“rest of world”) was around mid-2024. It was August 15, 2023 for the Philippines and January 22, 2014 for India. In plain terms, the wait after filing is roughly two years or more for most countries and more than a decade for India. The dates move every month, so check the latest bulletin.
Route 2: H-2B visas for seasonal and temporary work
The H-2B program lets U.S. employers hire foreign workers for temporary non-agricultural jobs. Construction laborers, landscapers, hotel and resort staff, and seafood processors are common examples. The employer’s need must be temporary, usually nine months or less, and the work must be full time.
2027 cap status: The first-half cap for fiscal year 2027, covering jobs starting between October 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027, was reached, with September 4, 2026 as the final receipt date. Jobs starting on or after April 1, 2027 fall under the second-half cap. Employers typically file about 90 days before the start date, which means early January 2027.
Pay: Employers must pay at least the highest of the prevailing wage and the applicable federal, state or local minimum wage. Listings for construction laborers have advertised about $19.76 to $20.85 an hour. At 40 hours a week for 39 weeks, that is roughly $30,800 to $32,500 in gross wages for the season, before tax and living costs.
Who pays the costs: Under Department of Labor rules, employers must pay or reimburse visa fees, provide or reimburse travel to the job once the worker completes half the contract period, provide return travel in qualifying cases, and supply required tools. Employers, recruiters and attorneys may not charge workers for recruitment or certification.
Route 3: H-2A visas for farm work
The H-2A program is for temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs. It has no annual numerical cap like H-2B, but it comes with its own requirements: employers must offer housing and arrange transportation and meals, and must pay at least the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) set by the Department of Labor.
Wages changed in 2025 and 2026. In October 2025 the Department of Labor changed how the AEWR is calculated, moving away from the old USDA survey and using wage data from its own occupational survey. The rule also created an adjustment that can lower the required wage by about $1 to $3 an hour for workers who receive employer-provided housing. The 2026-2027 rates took effect on August 3, 2026 in most states. Skill Level I rates average $12.31 an hour nationally and Skill Level II rates average $16.07 an hour, with variation by state and a handful of states where the state minimum wage is higher.
What workers actually earned recently: In fiscal year 2025, the average H-2A job paid about $17.67 an hour for around 40 hours a week over roughly 25 weeks, an average contract value of about $17,670. Expect that figure to differ in 2027 because of the new wage rules.
H-2A work is physically demanding and seasonal, so it suits people who want a temporary income opportunity, not a long-term career path. Check the exact wage, housing conditions and contract length in the official job order before you accept an offer.
Route 4: Degree-level roles on H-1B
Technology, engineering, finance, data and some healthcare roles use H-1B, which has an annual cap and a lottery. Key facts for 2027:
- For fiscal year 2027, USCIS used a wage-weighted lottery for the first time. Higher wage levels receive more entries.
- Valid registrations fell to about 211,600 for FY2027, down 38.5 percent from 343,981 the year before.
- Registration for the next cycle is expected in March 2027. Watch the USCIS website for the official dates.
- The proposed $100,000 payment on certain new H-1B petitions has been blocked by federal courts while appeals continue. It could return, so ask any prospective employer how they are handling it.
- Median wages on H-1B filings were about $125,000 in fiscal year 2025, according to an analysis of Department of Labor data.
- Universities and nonprofit research organizations can file for cap-exempt H-1B workers at any time of year.
Other routes worth knowing
- TN visas let eligible Canadian and Mexican professionals work in listed occupations, including registered nursing.
- L-1 visas are for employees who already work for a multinational company abroad and are transferring to a U.S. office.
- O-1 visas are for people with extraordinary ability in fields such as science, arts, business and athletics, and they need strong documentation.
- EB-3 “other workers” covers permanent jobs that need less than two years of training, but the Visa Bulletin shows a long queue. The November 2026 final action date for most countries was June 1, 2022.
Salary expectations at a glance
| Route and role | Typical pay (illustrative) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EB-3 registered nurse | $70,000 to $108,000 per year | Varies by state, shift and overtime |
| EB-3 physical therapist | About $80,000 to $120,000 per year | From salary guides; confirm locally |
| H-2B construction laborer | About $30,000 to $33,000 per season | Nine-month illustration at about $20 an hour |
| H-2A farm worker | About $17,700 average contract in FY2025 | Rates and housing rules changed for 2026-2027 |
| H-1B professional | Median around $125,000 | Strong variation by occupation and wage level |
These are planning figures, not promises. Taxes, housing, health insurance and the cost of living in your destination change what you keep.
How to evaluate a sponsorship offer
Before you accept, make sure you can answer these questions:
- Is the employer a real, registered U.S. organization, and can you confirm it through an independent source?
- Is the offer in writing, with the job title, pay rate, hours, location and start date?
- Which visa or green card category will be used, and who is the immigration attorney?
- Who pays for filing fees, legal costs, exams and travel?
- Are there penalties if you leave early, and are they spelled out in the contract?
- Does the pay meet or exceed the official wage rate for the job?
- For H-2A and H-2B, does the official Department of Labor job order match what the recruiter told you?
How scams work, and how to avoid them
Immigration fraud thrives on hope. Common warning signs include:
- Requests for payment to “secure” a job or sponsorship.
- Guaranteed visas or guaranteed green cards.
- Job offers from people you never contacted, often through WhatsApp, Telegram or social media pages.
- Salaries that seem much higher than the normal range for the role.
- Pressure to pay through gift cards, crypto or personal transfer.
- Fake government letters or websites that copy official agency logos.
For H-2A and H-2B, the Department of Labor’s official job listings are on SeasonalJobs.dol.gov. If you think you have been overcharged or underpaid, you can contact the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division on 1-866-487-9243.
A simple 2027 planning timeline
- Now to December 2026: Gather your passport, degree, transcripts and work history. Nurses should check NCLEX and credential steps. Verify any employer you are talking to.
- Early January 2027: H-2B employers typically file for jobs starting April 1.
- March 2027: The H-1B registration window for fiscal year 2028 is expected to open. Confirm dates with USCIS.
- April 1, 2027: Second-half H-2B start dates begin.
- Every month: Check the Visa Bulletin for green card cutoff dates.
- Ongoing: Watch for court decisions affecting the $100,000 H-1B fee and any rule changes to H-2A wages.
Frequently asked questions
Can a nurse get a green card without a lottery?
Yes. EB-3 sponsorship for registered nurses does not use a lottery. However, green card numbers are limited, so there is a waiting period based on the Visa Bulletin and your country of birth.
Do U.S. employers pay for NCLEX and licensing fees?
Practices vary. Some employers or staffing agencies cover or reimburse certain costs, and others do not. Get the details in writing before you accept an offer.
Is a $35,000 or $138,000 sign-on payment normal for sponsored workers?
No. Relocation and sign-on bonuses exist in some nursing jobs, but the example listings we reviewed offered amounts like $5,000. Salary promises that seem far above normal are a common scam signal.
Can I move to the U.S. on an H-2A or H-2B visa permanently?
No. Both are temporary, non-immigrant visas. Anyone promising permanent residence through these visas in exchange for payment is likely misleading you.
Can my family join me?
Green card holders can usually bring a spouse and unmarried children under 21 as derivative applicants. Spouses and children of H-2A and H-2B workers may qualify for H-4 dependent status, but they generally cannot work. Check the current rules for your category.
Who pays for H-2A and H-2B visa fees?
Employers must pay or reimburse visa fees and certain travel costs under Department of Labor rules. Recruiters and employers may not charge workers recruitment fees. Personal expenses such as a passport are usually your responsibility.
Are H-2A wages lower than before?
The Department of Labor changed the wage methodology in October 2025. National average Skill Level I rates for 2026-2027 are about $12.31 an hour, and employers can pay a lower adjusted rate to workers who receive housing. The average H-2A wage in fiscal year 2025 was about $17.67 an hour.
Which route is best for me?
There is no single best route. Credentialed healthcare workers often look at EB-3. People seeking short-term work may consider H-2B or H-2A. Degree holders in technology or finance usually look at H-1B. An independent consultation with an immigration attorney can help match your profile to a realistic route.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. We are not affiliated with any government agency, employer or recruiter, and we do not charge for or guarantee job placement, sponsorship or visa approval. Employers named are examples from public information and do not imply endorsement or current hiring.