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#15 nationally · 2,708 filingsFY 2026 Q2 data

H-1B Filing & Petition in Houston, TX

Houston employers obtain LCA certification for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA, then file Form I-129. h1bfiling.com offers flat-fee petition prep ($2,999) and lottery registration ($999) with a dedicated H-1B lawyer — RFE attorney work included. Built for energy, healthcare, aerospace, and engineering sponsors across the Energy Corridor and Texas Medical Center.

Houston ranks #15 nationally with 2,708 H-1B petitions.

MSA: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX · All TX H-1B cities →

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX#15 · 2,708 filingsEnergy · HealthcareOne quoted flat fee for Houston filings — lawyer review and employer case questions included, not billed hourly.

Filing an H-1B transfer in Houston?

Change-of-employer guide for HR — timeline, documents, and flat-fee filing.

H-1B transfer in Houston

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H-1B filing activity in Houston

Public DOL LCA disclosure data for the Houston metro. LCA certification is the first step; USCIS separately adjudicates the H-1B petition. Source: U.S. Department of Labor FLAG public LCA disclosure (OFLC). LCA certification is not USCIS petition approval..

DOL OFLC disclosure · refreshed June 2026

Methodology: DOL OFLC public disclosure data. Employer counts and wages reflect certified LCAs for the city worksite only.

#15 · 2,708

USCIS petitions

439

LCA filings

$118,200

Avg offered wage

98.1%

DOL certification rate

Top H-1B employers in Houston

  1. 1.The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center30 LCAs
  2. 2.Amazon Web Services, Inc.4 LCAs
  3. 3.Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.8 LCAs
  4. 4.Exxon Mobil Corporation7 LCAs
  5. 5.Honeywell International Inc.7 LCAs
  6. 6.Bechtel Energy Inc.6 LCAs
  7. 7.Rice University5 LCAs
  8. 8.Houston Methodist Hospital5 LCAs
  9. 9.Occidental Petroleum Corporation4 LCAs
  10. 10.ConocoPhillips Company4 LCAs

Most-filed roles (avg offered wage)

  1. 1.Software Engineer$120,000
  2. 2.Petroleum Engineer$130,000
  3. 3.Research Scientist$114,652
  4. 4.Data Scientist$125,000
  5. 5.Mechanical Engineer$115,000

Nearby worksites in the Houston metro

Suburban LCAs use the same Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX prevailing wage data — worksite address must match where the employee actually works.

The Woodlands, TX · $125,000 avgSugar Land, TX · $118,000 avg

H-1B cost calculator for Houston employers

See the full employer cost to file an H-1B in Houston: USCIS government fees plus h1bfiling.com flat fees ($2,999 filing; $999 lottery when cap registration is needed). Prevailing wage for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX is set on the LCA and is not a government filing fee.

Employer size

Organization type

Case type

Employer cost in Houston

USCIS fees are national; Houston LCA wage is separate and not included below. Government fees cannot be passed to the employee.

  • Form I-129 base filing feeOnline filing$780
  • ACWIA training fee$1,500
  • Fraud prevention & detection feeInitial petitions and change of employer$500
  • Asylum program fee$600
  • Government fees subtotal$3,380
  • h1bfiling.com filing feeFlat $2,999 — LCA + I-129, lawyer review, RFE response included$2,999
Gov $3,380 + h1bfiling.com $2,999
Total employer cost (Houston)$6,379

Estimates use published 2026 USCIS fee schedules plus h1bfiling.com flat fees ($2,999 filing). Planning only — not legal advice. Verify current government rules before filing.

Filing context for Houston employers

Houston ranks #15 nationally with 2,708 filings in FY 2026 Q2. Local demand concentrates in Energy, Healthcare, Aerospace, and related roles. LCA wages follow the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX — Energy Corridor, downtown, The Woodlands, and Sugar Land worksites need separate LCA addresses when duties span sites.

  • Petroleum and mechanical engineer roles need strong specialty-occupation (degree-to-duty) documentation.
  • Rice University and MD Anderson-affiliated sponsors may file cap-exempt; most energy employers remain lottery-subject.
  • Dual intent allows green-card planning during H-1B — transfers into Houston typically skip the lottery.

We handle every step — H-1B filing in Houston

  1. 01

    Create employer account

    We onboard your company for Houston, TX sponsorship — sign up, add your profile, and choose lottery or full H-1B filing.

  2. 02

    Start a case & invite candidate

    We manage candidate intake for your Houston worksite — send a secure invite and we collect passport, degree, and resume for LCA and petition prep.

  3. 03

    Certify LCA with DOL

    We prepare and file the LCA with correct Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX prevailing wage, SOC code, and worksite. Notice posting and PAF included.

  4. 04

    Prepare Form I-129 petition

    Our immigration lawyers prepare Form I-129, draft the employer support letter, and assemble the evidence packet for your Houston worksite — structured to reduce RFE risk.

  5. 05

    Submit to USCIS & track

    We file with USCIS on your behalf. Track receipt notices, RFEs, and approval in your employer dashboard.

Why Houston employers use h1bfiling

Houston combines energy, healthcare, aerospace, and engineering-tech hiring — from downtown and the Energy Corridor to The Woodlands, Sugar Land, and TMC research campuses.

  • Dedicated immigration lawyer on every Houston petition — not software-only filing
  • Flat $2,999 filing includes RFE attorney response — aligned incentives
  • LCA wage and address checked against the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA
  • Live case visibility for HR — documents, who’s next, USCIS milestones
  • Energy, healthcare, aerospace, and consulting case types supported
  • Cap-subject and Rice / TMC cap-exempt paths available

Cap-exempt H-1B for Houston universities & research employers

Houston's medical center and research institutions file cap-exempt H-1B petitions alongside energy and engineering employers — university and hospital LCAs are common in the metro.

  • · No annual cap lottery for qualifying cap-exempt petitions
  • · Often exempt from the ACWIA training fee
  • · Still requires certified LCA and Form I-129 with specialty-occupation evidence
  • · For-profit employers may qualify when the beneficiary works primarily at a cap-exempt site

Major Houston cap-exempt filers include: Rice University, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Start cap-exempt or cap-subject case →

H-1B filing for Houston universities & medical centers

Rice University is a top-20 national university in Houston's Texas Medical Center corridor. Rice and MD Anderson-affiliated research sponsors file cap-exempt H-1B petitions alongside energy and aerospace cap-subject employers.

Top national universities in Houston

Rice University

U.S. News national rank #17

STEM research, engineering, sciences

Common university H-1B roles

  1. 1.Postdoctoral Research Associate
  2. 2.Assistant Professor
  3. 3.Research Scientist
  4. 4.Software Engineer
  5. 5.Petroleum Engineer

Cap-exempt university filing

  • Rice University qualifies for cap-exempt H-1B filing for eligible academic roles
  • Texas Medical Center affiliates may have university or hospital cap paths
  • Energy-sector cap-subject hiring remains the largest private-sector volume
  • Houston MSA prevailing wages vary between TMC, Energy Corridor, and downtown

University H-1B filing checklist

  1. 1Use Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA wage lookup
  2. 2Medical Center worksites need precise street addresses on the LCA
  3. 3Research roles require grant and publication evidence
  4. 4Cap-exempt Rice petitions file year-round without lottery
  5. 5Plan 8–12 weeks for international faculty hires

University H-1B FAQ — Houston

Can Rice University file H-1B without the lottery?

Rice, as a qualifying private research university, may file cap-exempt H-1B petitions for eligible positions. h1bfiling.com provides flat-fee LCA and I-129 preparation with immigration lawyer review.

H-1B filing checklist for Houston employers

Lottery dates, wage-weighted selection, document lists, and government fees for employers filing in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX.

FY 2027 cap timeline

  • Registration: FY 2027 cap registration: March 4–19, 2026 (noon–5:00 p.m. Eastern)
  • USCIS uses wage-weighted selection for FY 2027 — higher OEWS wage levels receive more lottery entries. Houston employers should determine wage level using the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX and correct SOC code at registration.
  • I-129 filing window: Selected cap petitions: file I-129 April 1–June 30, 2026 for October 1, 2026+ start dates

Wage-weighted lottery entries (Houston MSA)

LevelEntriesMeaning
Level IV4 entriesFully competent — ~67th percentile for SOC + local MSA
Level III3 entriesExperienced — ~50th percentile
Level II2 entriesQualified — ~34th percentile
Level I1 entryEntry-level — ~17th percentile

Employer documents

  • · Form I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
  • · H Classification Supplement to Form I-129
  • · Certified Labor Condition Application (Form ETA-9035)
  • · Employer support letter with job duties and specialty-occupation analysis
  • · Company evidence (e.g., tax returns, business license, org chart as needed)
  • · Filing fee payments (employer-paid; cannot be passed to the employee)
  • · Public Access File (PAF) for the certified LCA

Employee documents

  • · Copy of valid passport (biographic page)
  • · Degree certificates and official transcripts
  • · Credential evaluation for foreign degrees (if applicable)
  • · Resume/CV consistent with petition forms
  • · I-94 arrival record and prior immigration documents (if in the U.S.)
  • · Prior H-1B approval notices (I-797) for extensions or transfers
  • · Pay stubs for change-of-employer or amendment cases

If the beneficiary is abroad after petition approval, they may need a consular visa interview. Prepare them on job duties, employer details, and required documents before the appointment.

Government fees (employer-paid, 2026)

h1bfiling.com service fees: $999 lottery · $2,999 full filing. Fees below are paid to USCIS/DOL in addition to our flat service fee.

FeeAmountNotes
H-1B registration (cap-subject)$215Per beneficiary; FY 2027 window Mar 4–19, 2026
Form I-129 base filing fee$780 online / $730 paper$460 / $410 for employers with ≤25 full-time employees
ACWIA training fee$1,500$750 for ≤25 employees; exempt for universities & nonprofit research orgs
Fraud prevention fee$500Initial petitions and change-of-employer only
Asylum program fee$600$300 small employer; $0 nonprofits
Premium processing (Form I-907)$2,965Optional; 15 business days to adjudicative action
Public Law 114-113 fee$4,000Only if 50+ employees and >50% on H-1B/L-1
Presidential proclamation fee$100,000Certain new petitions for beneficiaries abroad requiring consular processing; verify current status before filing

Prevailing wage tips — Houston MSA

  • · Use flag.dol.gov OFLC Wage Search for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX — not company HQ in another state.
  • · Pay the higher of prevailing wage or actual wage paid to similar U.S. workers in the same role.
  • · Save the wage lookup printout with date — useful if DOL or USCIS questions the determination.
  • · Multi-site employers in the Houston metro may need separate LCAs or accurate worksite lists on each LCA.

Common RFE triggers

  • · Specialty occupation — degree field does not clearly match job duties
  • · Employer-employee relationship at third-party client sites (consulting/staffing)
  • · Wage level or SOC code inconsistency between registration, LCA, and I-129
  • · Insufficient evidence connecting beneficiary qualifications to the offered role
  • · Itinerary or worksite gaps for multi-location or remote assignments

What lawyer-reviewed means on h1bfiling.com

Every Houston case is reviewed by a dedicated immigration lawyer before DOL and USCIS submission — not a self-filing software workflow.

  • LCA & prevailing wage review

    Counsel validates SOC code, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX wage level, and worksite details before DOL filing.

  • I-129 petition assembly

    Lawyers draft the employer support letter, structure specialty-occupation evidence, and review the full packet for consistency across registration, LCA, and I-129.

  • RFE risk screening

    Common denial triggers — third-party worksites, degree-to-duty gaps, wage mismatches — are flagged before submission.

  • Case status updates

    Employers receive updates through the dashboard; counsel responds to case questions within one business day.

  • Flat fee — questions included

    Lottery registration and full filing are quoted at a fixed price. Employer and candidate questions during LCA and I-129 prep are included — not billed hourly per email or call. Government USCIS/DOL fees are separate.

h1bfiling.com is an employer filing service with lawyer review on every case. This page is informational and not legal advice.

Top industries in Houston

  • Energy
  • Healthcare
  • Aerospace
  • Engineering services
  • Oil & gas tech
  • Software

Most sponsored roles

  1. 1.Software Engineer
  2. 2.Petroleum Engineer
  3. 3.Data Scientist
  4. 4.Mechanical Engineer
  5. 5.Technology Consultant

Houston filing checklist

  • Energy Corridor, downtown, The Woodlands, and Sugar Land worksites need separate LCA addresses when duties span sites.
  • Petroleum and mechanical engineer roles need strong specialty-occupation (degree-to-duty) documentation.
  • Rice University and MD Anderson-affiliated sponsors may file cap-exempt; most energy employers remain lottery-subject.
  • Dual intent allows green-card planning during H-1B — transfers into Houston typically skip the lottery.
  • Flat $2,999 filing includes lawyer review and RFE response attorney work; USCIS fees are separate.
  • LCAs must list the actual Houston worksite address and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX prevailing wage for the SOC code.
  • FY 2027 cap registration uses wage-weighted selection — higher OEWS wage levels receive more lottery entries.
  • Consulting employers at client sites need employer–employee relationship and client-letter evidence on I-129.

Flat pricing

Lottery $999 · Filing $2,999

File in Houston

H-1B filing in Houston — FAQ

How do I file an H-1B petition for an employee in Houston?

File a certified LCA with the DOL for your Houston worksite, then submit Form I-129 to USCIS. On h1bfiling.com, create an employer account, start a case (Houston, TX worksite), invite your candidate, and our lawyers prepare the LCA and I-129 petition — flat fee $2,999.

What is the difference between H-1B filing and an H-1B petition in Houston?

"H-1B filing" is the full process: LCA certification, Form I-129 petition assembly, and USCIS submission. The petition (I-129) is the formal request to USCIS. h1bfiling.com handles both for Houston employers in one workflow.

How long does an H-1B petition take for Houston employers?

LCA certification typically takes 7–14 days (longer if flagged). USCIS I-129 processing varies by service center and premium processing. Most Houston employers complete document collection and LCA prep in 2–4 weeks on h1bfiling.com before USCIS submission.

Can I transfer an H-1B employee to my Houston worksite?

Yes. Change-of-employer H-1B transfers require a new LCA for your Houston location and a new I-129 petition. Candidates already in H-1B status skip the lottery. AC21 porting may apply upon USCIS receipt.

What is the average H-1B wage in Houston?

Recent DOL LCA disclosure data shows an average offered annual wage of about $118,200 across certified Houston metro filings. Actual wages vary by occupation, OEWS wage level, and employer.

Which Houston companies sponsor the most H-1B workers?

Top LCA filers in Houston include M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Halliburton, Exxon Mobil, Honeywell International, Rice University — based on public DOL FLAG disclosure data. LCA volume reflects employer demand; USCIS separately approves petitions.

What is the DOL LCA certification rate in Houston?

Recent DOL disclosure shows roughly 98.1% of Houston metro LCA applications certified. Certification confirms wage and worksite compliance — it is not the same as USCIS petition approval.

What are the benefits of an H-1B for Houston employers?

H-1B lets Houston employers hire specialty-occupation professionals for up to six years (with limited extensions tied to green-card progress), supports dual intent, and allows change-of-employer transfers without lottery when the worker is already in status. Spouses and children may seek H-4 status. h1bfiling.com handles LCA and I-129 prep at a flat fee with lawyer review.

How do I qualify for an H-1B for a Houston worksite?

The role must be a specialty occupation (typically requiring a related bachelor’s or equivalent), the employer must control the worker as a W-2 employee, and the wage must meet Houston MSA prevailing wage for the SOC code. Cap-subject first-time petitions need lottery selection unless the sponsor is cap-exempt (e.g., qualifying universities or research orgs).

Do I need an H-1B lawyer in Houston?

Houston employers benefit from counsel for LCA prevailing-wage review, specialty-occupation evidence (especially energy and engineering titles), and I-129 assembly. h1bfiling.com assigns a dedicated H-1B lawyer on every Houston transfer and petition at $2,999 flat — including attorney work if USCIS issues an RFE.

How much does H-1B filing cost for a Houston employer?

h1bfiling.com charges $999 for lottery registration and $2,999 for full H-1B filing (LCA + I-129 petition prep). RFE attorney response work is included in the filing flat fee. USCIS government fees — I-129 base fee, ACWIA, fraud prevention, asylum program, and optional premium processing — are separate and paid by the employer.

How does wage-weighted lottery selection affect Houston employers?

For FY 2027, USCIS assigns 1–4 lottery entries based on OEWS wage level for the offered salary, SOC code, and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX worksite. Level IV registrations receive four entries; Level I receive one.

What documents does a Houston employer need for H-1B filing?

Employers typically provide Form I-129, H Classification Supplement, certified LCA, employer support letter, company evidence, and fee payments. Employees provide passport, degrees, transcripts, resume, and prior immigration documents. h1bfiling.com collects these through a secure candidate portal.

Can I transfer an H-1B employee to my Houston, TX worksite?

Yes. Change-of-employer transfers require a new LCA for your Houston location and a new I-129 petition. Candidates already in H-1B status skip the lottery. AC21 porting may apply upon USCIS receipt.

Do I need an H-1B lawyer or immigration attorney in Houston?

Employers in Houston, TX benefit from an immigration lawyer for LCA prevailing-wage review, Form I-129 petition prep, and specialty-occupation documentation. h1bfiling.com includes a dedicated H-1B lawyer on every transfer and petition at a flat $2,999 fee — including attorney work if USCIS issues an RFE.

How do you qualify for an H-1B for a Houston worksite?

The role must be a specialty occupation (typically requiring a related bachelor’s or equivalent), the employer must control the worker as a W-2 employee, and the wage must meet Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX prevailing wage for the SOC code. Cap-subject first-time petitions need lottery selection unless the sponsor is cap-exempt.

Is RFE response included for Houston filings?

Yes. On h1bfiling.com, attorney work to respond if USCIS issues a Request for Evidence is included in the $2,999 flat filing fee. There is no separate USCIS fee for an RFE reply. Government fees on the original petition remain separate.

How long can an H-1B worker stay after a Houston petition is approved?

H-1B status is generally available for up to six years (often 3+3), with dual intent allowing green-card pursuit. Extensions beyond six years may be available with certain immigrant petition progress. Change-of-employer transfers into Houston typically skip the lottery when the worker is already in H-1B status.

Are there extra fees if we have questions during H-1B filing in Houston?

No. h1bfiling.com quotes a fixed $2,999 for full H-1B filing in Houston, TX. Employer and candidate questions during LCA certification and I-129 preparation are included — you are not billed hourly for emails, status updates, or document follow-up.

Can Rice University file H-1B without the lottery?

Rice, as a qualifying private research university, may file cap-exempt H-1B petitions for eligible positions. h1bfiling.com provides flat-fee LCA and I-129 preparation with immigration lawyer review.

Ready to file in Houston?

Lawyer-reviewed petitions, flat pricing, and a team that handles LCA through USCIS filing.

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