Green card (PERM) sponsorship: what job seekers can and can’t see

For many people on H-1B, the more important question is not “will they sponsor my visa?” but “will they sponsor my green card, and when?” Here is what public data can tell you, what it can’t, and how to fill the gap.

Updated 2026-11-05 · Based on public US DOL LCA and USCIS H-1B data — see methodology.

What PERM is, in plain terms

Most employment-based green cards for tech workers fall in the EB-2 or EB-3 categories. For those, the usual path starts with PERM labor certification at the Department of Labor. Simplified, the employer:

1. gets a prevailing wage determination for the job from DOL,
2. runs a recruitment process to test whether qualified US workers are available,
3. files the PERM application (Form ETA-9089), and
4. after certification, files an I-140 immigrant petition with USCIS.

After that, when you can file the final step depends on your priority date and country of birth in the State Department’s Visa Bulletin, which for some countries means a very long wait. None of that is visible in a job posting.

Why it matters for your job search

• Six-year H-1B limit. H-1B status is generally limited to six years, but extensions beyond that are typically possible when PERM or an I-140 has been filed early enough. An employer that starts PERM late can leave you with little room.
• Job changes. A PERM is tied to an employer and a role. Moving before key milestones can mean starting over, though an approved I-140’s priority date can often be kept.
• Policy differences. Some employers start green-card processes soon after hiring; others wait one or two years or only sponsor certain levels.

What our data shows today — and its limits

We want to be clear about this: VisaBacked does not yet show PERM filings. Our profiles are built from 1,034,048 H-1B LCA filings (FY2025 (Oct 2024–Sep 2025) + FY2026 Q1–Q3 (Oct 2025–Jun 2026)) and USCIS H-1B approvals (FY2021–FY2023). See the methodology.

H-1B data is an indirect green-card signal at best:

• Useful: employers with large, consistent H-1B programs usually have in-house or outside immigration counsel and established processes, and many of them run PERM programs too.
• Useful: strong USCIS continuing approvals (extensions and changes of employer) suggest the company keeps H-1B workers for years — the population that needs green cards. 3,296 employers in our data have continuing approvals on record.
• Not a substitute: a company can file many H-1Bs and few or no PERMs. LCA counts say nothing about when the green-card process starts or how often it succeeds.

DOL publishes PERM disclosure data separately, and we are working on adding per-company PERM history (it’s one of the features planned for Pro). Until then, treat the H-1B record as a starting filter and use the steps below to get the real answer.

Employers with a steady, multi-year H-1B record

As a starting filter, these employers have open jobs right now, LCA filings in both fiscal years we cover, and USCIS continuing approvals. That pattern suggests a long-running program — not a promise about green cards.

How to find out about green-card sponsorship

1. Search the DOL PERM disclosure files yourself for the employer’s legal name if you want hard numbers. They are public on DOL’s foreign labor performance data page, the same source as our LCA data.
2. Ask people who work there. Current or former employees on visas are the best source for how the policy works in practice — how long they waited and whether it varied by team.
3. Ask the recruiter at the right time. Once there is mutual interest, ask: “What is the company’s policy on green-card sponsorship — when does the process usually start, and does it depend on level?”
4. Get it in writing if it matters. Some employers will describe their policy in the offer or in an HR document. A written policy is not a guarantee, but it beats a verbal maybe.
5. Compare offers on timing, not just salary. If you are close to the six-year limit or from a country with a long backlog, an employer that starts PERM right away may be worth more than a higher base salary.

Questions worth asking before you accept

• When would PERM typically be started for someone in this role and level?
• Which category (EB-2 or EB-3) does the company usually file for this kind of role?
• Who pays the legal and filing costs? (For PERM, DOL rules require the employer to pay certain costs.)
• What happens to the process if I change teams or locations?

For a full job search plan, start with the H-1B transfer guide or browse roles at proven sponsors. Get notified when sponsors post new roles with free alerts.

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