Seattle H-1B Filings Reach 16,725 in FY2025, Dominated by Amazon's Tech Ecosystem
Seattle processed 16,725 H-1B visa applications in FY2025 with a 95.9% certification rate, driven overwhelmingly by Amazon entities and tech companies offering an average salary of $414,819—among the highest in the nation.
Amazon's Commanding Presence in Seattle's H-1B Landscape
Seattle's H-1B visa activity in FY2025 reflects the city's position as a global technology hub, with 16,725 total filings and an impressive certification rate of 95.9% (16,036 approved applications). The data reveals an employment landscape heavily concentrated among Amazon's various corporate entities and a select group of major tech employers.
Amazon's dominance is immediately apparent in the filing numbers. Amazon.com Services LLC alone accounted for 5,634 H-1B applications—representing approximately 34% of all Seattle filings. When combined with related entities including Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc. (1,272 filings), Amazon Web Services, Inc. (949 filings), and AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC (782 filings), the Amazon ecosystem represents nearly half of all H-1B activity in the metro area. Google LLC rounds out the top five employers with 486 filings, though significantly trailing Amazon's collective presence.
Exceptional Compensation Levels
The average salary for H-1B positions in Seattle stands at $414,819, reflecting the premium the region's tech employers place on specialized talent. This figure significantly exceeds national H-1B averages and underscores Seattle's competition for skilled workers in high-demand technical fields.
The salary range, however, spans from $41,600 to $538,720,000, with the maximum figure likely representing an extreme outlier or data anomaly. Nevertheless, the robust average salary demonstrates that most H-1B positions in Seattle offer substantial compensation packages designed to attract top-tier international talent.
Industry Concentration
The NAICS code distribution confirms Seattle's tech-centric H-1B ecosystem. Electronic shopping and mail-order houses (NAICS 45411) accounted for 3,308 filings, directly reflecting Amazon's e-commerce operations. Data processing, hosting, and related services (NAICS 518210) represented 2,296 filings, while custom computer programming services (NAICS 541511) contributed 1,145 applications. This concentration in software development, cloud computing, and e-commerce infrastructure aligns with Seattle's reputation as a technology innovation center.
Cost of Living Context
Seattle's high H-1B salaries must be considered against the backdrop of the city's elevated cost of living. Housing costs in the Seattle metropolitan area have risen substantially over the past decade, driven partly by the influx of high-earning tech workers. While the average H-1B salary of $414,819 provides significant purchasing power, it reflects market-rate compensation necessary to attract talent to one of the nation's most expensive housing markets.
Looking Ahead
Seattle's FY2025 H-1B data illustrates a mature tech ecosystem with concentrated employer power and specialized industry focus. The near-monopolistic position of Amazon entities in the local H-1B landscape raises questions about employment diversification, though the high certification rate and exceptional salaries demonstrate continued strong demand for international talent in the region's technology sector. For prospective H-1B applicants, Seattle remains one of the nation's premier destinations for technology careers, offering both substantial compensation and opportunities at globally recognized employers.