On F-1 OPT, STEM OPT, or already on H-1B? Cap-exempt employers — universities, research institutes, and affiliated nonprofits — can sponsor or transfer your H-1B any day of the year. No cap. No lottery. No October wait. We surface every one of these jobs so you stop refreshing LinkedIn for roles that aren't there.
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Every one of these can file your H-1B this month — no lottery required.
A snapshot of cap-exempt sponsors with open roles on Avisa today.
Miss the March H-1B lottery — or watch your OPT, STEM OPT, or current H-1B run down — and you're stuck waiting another 12 months for the next shot. Cap-exempt employers can file or transfer your H-1B in any month: June, August, November — whenever they hire you. No cap. No lottery. No gap in status.
One subscription. Every cap-exempt role, every employer, every detail you need to apply with confidence.
All universities, medical centers, research institutes, and affiliated nonprofits — in one feed.
No middleman. Apply directly on the employer's site, often before the role hits LinkedIn.
See which employers have actually filed H-1Bs — never waste an application on a dead end.
Be the first to apply. Most cap-exempt offers go to early applicants who beat the queue.
Exactly when to apply, file, and transfer so your work auth never lapses.
Month-to-month. No contracts. Most members land an offer in under 90 days.
Same visa. Two completely different paths to get one.
For most international students and professionals, the cap-exempt route isn't a backup plan — it's the highest-leverage way to start your US career.
Cap-exempt employers can file for you in March, June, or November — there's no waiting until next April's lottery while your work auth ticks down.
A cap-exempt offer (or transfer) keeps you in the country on H-1B status and lets you work concurrently for cap-subject employers later — no new lottery needed.
Universities, hospitals, and research institutes are natural launchpads. They sponsor freely and the H-1B transfers cleanly to industry later.
Defined by INA §214(g)(5). All three are exempt from the annual H-1B cap.
Accredited US colleges and universities with a regular curriculum and enrolled student body.
Nonprofits related to or affiliated with an institution of higher education.
Nonprofit and governmental research orgs primarily engaged in basic or applied research.
Everything international candidates ask about cap-exempt H-1Bs.
Yes. Cap-exempt only removes the numerical limit and lottery — every other H-1B requirement still applies, including a US bachelor's (or equivalent) in a field related to the role.
Yes. Once you hold a cap-exempt H-1B, a for-profit employer can later file a 'concurrent' or 'change-of-employer' petition that's still cap-exempt under current rules. This is one of the most powerful long-term plays.
Yes. Time in cap-exempt H-1B status counts toward the 6-year H-1B max — but extensions beyond 6 years are available once your green card process passes key milestones.
Almost always at qualifying universities, affiliated medical centers, or nonprofit research institutions. Always confirm the employer's cap-exempt status in writing before relying on it.
On average, university and nonprofit roles pay less than FAANG. They still must meet DOL prevailing wage rules. The trade-off is a near-guaranteed visa path vs. a ~25% lottery — for most people, the math is obvious.
No — there's no $100K floor for cap-exempt roles (or for cap-subject ones, for that matter — that's a common myth). The only wage requirement is the DOL prevailing wage on the LCA, which varies by role and location. The 'H-1B dependent / $60K exemption' people sometimes confuse this with is about LCA recruitment attestations, not the cap or the lottery.
Yes. A cap-exempt employer can file a transfer for you in any month and you keep your H-1B status with no new lottery. Bonus: you can later add concurrent H-1B employment with a cap-subject employer without going through the lottery again.
Every active cap-exempt job, full descriptions, direct apply links, verified sponsor history, instant alerts for new roles, and our OPT/STEM OPT timing playbook. Cancel anytime.