H-1B Transfer in San Jose for Employers
Change-of-employer H-1B transfer in San Jose, CA: timeline, documents, and flat $2,999 filing for HR teams. Lawyer-reviewed LCA and I-129.
H-1B transfers in San Jose: what employers should know
San Jose anchors Silicon Valley H-1B hiring — employers transfer semiconductor, hardware, and software engineers between South Bay campuses daily. Change-of-employer petitions use the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA prevailing wage tables; the LCA must list the exact San Jose worksite, not a neighboring city. Receipt under AC21 portability matters when candidates move between competing tech employers.
- San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara share an MSA but require distinct LCA worksite addresses.
- Hardware and verification engineer transfers need degree-to-duty mapping on I-129.
- Transfers from SF or Peninsula employers still require a new LCA and I-129 for your San Jose office.
Typical transfer timeline
MSA: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. Timelines vary by document speed and DOL/USCIS workload.
- 1Open case & invite candidateDay 1–3
- 2Candidate documents completeDay 7–14
- 3LCA filed with DOLDay 14–18
- 4LCA certifiedDay 21–28
- 5I-129 filed with USCISDay 25–35
- 6USCIS receipt (I-797C)Day 30–42
Documents for San Jose transfers
From employer
- Detailed job description and offered salary
- Worksite address for LCA posting
- Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
- Signatory authority for DOL/USCIS forms
From candidate
- Passport and U.S. visa stamps
- All prior H-1B I-797 approval notices
- Current I-94 record
- 3–6 months recent pay stubs from current H-1B employer
- Degree certificates, transcripts, and resume
Full checklist: HR document checklist · Printable employer checklist
Common transfer roles in San Jose
- Software Engineer
- Hardware Engineer
- Architect
- Data Engineer
- Verification Engineer
$2,999 flat · lawyer on every San Jose transfer
We handle LCA, I-129, candidate intake, and USCIS filing for change-of-employer cases in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. USCIS government fees are separate.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Consult qualified counsel for your specific case.