Amazon and Google are the #1 and #2 direct-hire tech H1B sponsors by petition volume. For candidates fortunate enough to have offers from both, the H1B dimension is worth understanding. This comparison uses FY2024 LCA data to break down approval rates, wages, wage level distribution (the key to lottery odds), and green card sponsorship practices at each company.
| Metric | Amazon | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 H1B Filings | 7,100 | 4,100 | Amazon Amazon files 73% more — but higher volume doesn't improve individual lottery odds. |
| Approval Rate | 96% | 97% | Google Both excellent. Google's 1-point edge reflects near-perfect immigration infrastructure. |
| Average H1B Wage | $165K | $215K | Google Google pays 30% more on average. The gap is wider at senior levels (L5+). |
| % Petitions at L3/L4 | 42% | 55% | Google Google's L3/L4 rate is 31% higher — directly translating to better lottery selection odds. |
| Lottery Odds Rating | Good | Excellent | Google Both are far superior to consulting firms. Google's wage structure gives it the edge. |
| Premium Processing Usage | ~85% | ~95% | Google Google uses premium processing on virtually all petitions. Amazon is high but slightly less universal. |
| Green Card Sponsorship | Yes — most teams | Yes — standard practice | Tie Both routinely file PERM. Google is slightly more standardized in timing; Amazon varies by team. |
| H1B to Green Card Timeline | EB-2/EB-3 via PERM, ~2-4 yrs (ex India/China) | Same structure; slightly faster PERM filing | Google Neither changes the EB visa backlog — but Google tends to file PERM earlier in tenure. |
| Remote Work (H1B LCA) | RTO-heavy; LCA amendment risk for WFH | Flexible; amended LCAs for hybrid more common | Google Amazon's aggressive RTO policy creates LCA amendment complexity for H1B workers. |
| Immigration Attorney Quality | Top-tier firms (Fragomen, etc.) | Top-tier firms (Fragomen, etc.) | Tie Both use the same elite immigration law firms for high-volume H1B sponsorship. |
The wage gap varies significantly by seniority. Both companies pay competitive entry-level salaries, but the gap widens at senior levels — and since H1B prevailing wage is based on total compensation, higher salaries directly improve the wage level classification and lottery odds.
| Role / Level | Amazon (est.) | Google (est.) | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer (L3/SDE I) | $145K | $175K | +21% (Google) |
| Software Engineer (L4/SDE II) | $165K | $205K | +24% (Google) |
| Senior SWE (L5/SDE III) | $195K | $245K | +26% (Google) |
| Principal SWE (L6) | $235K | $295K | +26% (Google) |
| ML Engineer | $175K | $225K | +29% (Google) |
| Data Scientist | $160K | $205K | +28% (Google) |
| Product Manager | $170K | $210K | +24% (Google) |
Note: Estimates based on LCA prevailing wage filings and Levels.fyi data. Total compensation including RSU/bonus differs from base salary shown here.
Under the wage-based H1B lottery, USCIS first selects petitions at the highest wage level (Level IV), then proceeds to lower levels only if the cap isn't reached. This means an L4 petition has approximately 2.1x better selection odds than an L1 petition based on FY2024 data.
Google files approximately 2,255 petitions at L3/L4 vs Amazon's ~2,982 — Amazon actually files more L3/L4 petitions in absolute terms due to its larger volume. But for any individual applicant, what matters is whether their petition lands at L3/L4. Google's 55% L3/L4 rate means a randomly selected Google petition has 31% better odds of landing in the favored bucket than a randomly selected Amazon petition at 42%.