San Francisco H-1B Filings Near 14,000 in FY2025, Led by Salesforce and Tech Giants

Tech Capital Maintains Strong H-1B Demand

San Francisco processed 13,951 H-1B visa applications in fiscal year 2025, with 12,707 receiving certified status—a robust 91% approval rate that underscores the Bay Area's continued dominance in attracting highly skilled international workers. The city's H-1B landscape reflects its status as a global technology epicenter, with compensation levels and employer profiles that set it apart from other major metropolitan areas.

Premium Compensation Reflects Market Reality

The average H-1B salary in San Francisco reached $549,073 for FY2025, a figure that significantly exceeds national averages and reflects both the city's concentration of high-value technology roles and its notoriously expensive cost of living. Reported salaries ranged from $39,104 to an outlier maximum of $457.6 million, though this upper bound likely represents data anomalies or equity compensation packages. The compensation data reinforces San Francisco's reputation as a market where employers must offer premium pay to attract and retain specialized talent.

Salesforce Leads Diverse Employer Mix

Salesforce, Inc. topped the list of H-1B sponsors with 809 certified applications, affirming its position as the city's largest corporate sponsor of foreign workers. The top five employers represent a notable mix of sectors:

• Salesforce, Inc. (809 applications)
• Ernst & Young U.S. LLP (450 applications)
• University of California, San Francisco (444 applications)
• Google LLC (402 applications)
• Uber Technologies, Inc. (358 applications)

This employer diversity is significant. While tech giants like Salesforce, Google, and Uber dominate, the presence of professional services firm Ernst & Young and academic medical center UCSF demonstrates that San Francisco's H-1B demand extends beyond pure technology companies into consulting, healthcare, and research sectors.

Software and Digital Services Dominate

Industry classification data reveals San Francisco's H-1B concentration in technology-focused sectors. Custom Computer Programming Services (NAICS 541511) accounted for 2,839 applications, representing the single largest industry category. Data Processing and Hosting Services (NAICS 518210) contributed 641 applications, while Computer Systems Design Services (NAICS 541512) added 487. Software Publishers (NAICS 513210) rounded out the top categories with 462 applications.

This industrial composition confirms San Francisco's specialization in software development, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure—sectors that require highly specialized technical skills often sourced from international talent pools.

Market Implications

San Francisco's H-1B data tells a story of sustained demand for specialized international talent despite ongoing debates about visa policy and the challenges of operating in one of America's most expensive cities. The high average salary figures, while impressive, must be contextualized against San Francisco's elevated housing costs and living expenses, which can significantly impact the real purchasing power of these wages.

For FY2025, San Francisco's H-1B activity reaffirms its position as a critical node in the global technology talent network, where companies continue to invest heavily in securing specialized workers despite regulatory complexity and substantial compensation requirements.