While there’s still no official list of companies that sponsor H-1B, there is now a list for companies that hire international students on STEM OPT. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) just released a list of STEM OPT employers that provided STEM OPT in 2017. That means these companies are hiring opt international students.
All F1 visa students have the option for OPT visa. If you are a international student studying in a STEM field (science, tech, engineering or math), you have the option to apply for an OPT STEM extension for an additional 2 year of OPT. (note: if any of this doesn’t make sense – check in with your international student office for an intro to your work authorization options!)
Understanding companies that hire OPT students

Many employers on this list are IT outsourcing or staffing companies. Companies like Tata, Infosys, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and more are outsourcing companies. While they are companies that hire international students they are less likely to sponsor for H-1B. So if your goal is to stay beyond the length of your OPT STEM extension, we don’t advise working for IT outsourcing or staffing companies.
Research is an important part of an H1B job search
Staffing companies like Kforce and Kelly Services, for example, also pay less as they are charging the hosting employer a fee for placing you. Always do your research on all companies to learn whether you will be employed directly by the target company, a staffing service, or an IT outsourcing company.
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