Regarding international students looking for work, America continues to be the top choice. International students have long favored STEM degrees because of the US’s three-year OPT (optional practical training) program. Moreover, obtaining an H-1B visa is a typical path to employment in the United States. Employers in the US looking to hire nonimmigrant foreign workers in specialized areas are subject to the H-1B program.

Finding American firms that are more sympathetic to international workers seeking H-1B visas might be tough. According to a survey by Intead and job search engine F1 Hire titled ‘Connecting Dots: How International Students Are Finding US Jobs,’ Washington, North Carolina, Texas, and Michigan had the highest H-1B applications per company sponsor.

In 2023, 39% of sponsored H-1B petitions for overseas students came from companies in three states: California, Texas, and New York. Adding Massachusetts, Virginia, and Michigan to the mix, total H-1B petitions accounted for half of all sponsored positions in 2023.

Since 2018, the number of PERM candidates from Brazil and the Philippines has increased compared to India, which currently accounts for 28% of international student jobs in the US. Nine of the top ten companies sponsoring PERM applications in 2023 are in technology. A permanent labor certification (PERM) from the Department of Labor (DOL) enables a company to hire a foreign worker to work permanently in the United States.

According to the survey, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, Tennessee, and Montana have the greatest H-1B job ratio per international student attending their universities. North Carolina, Michigan, and Virginia also have a large number of international student-friendly employers.

The report proposes ways for international students to acquire jobs in the United States: consider institutions in states with H-1B and PERM-friendly firms and institutions with good links with these employers.

Over the last five years, the percentage of PERM candidates with degrees from the United States increased to 59%, while the percentage of those with degrees from India declined to 28% by 2023. Between 20-18 and 2023, the percentage of PERM applications from people with degrees received outside the United States decreased from 48% to 43% in the top 12 sending countries.