Does Apple Sponsor H-1B? Approvals and What OPT and CPT Students Should Know in 2026

Does Apple sponsor H-1B visas? Yes. Apple is consistently among the top employers in the country for H-1B approvals. According to a National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) analysis of USCIS data, Apple received 823 approvals for new (initial-employment) H-1B petitions in fiscal year 2025, and 4,610 approvals for continuing employment — extensions, amendments, and transfers for people already working for Apple on H-1B.

Apple H-1B approvals by the numbers

• FY 2025 new (initial-employment) H-1B approvals: 823, per NFAP's analysis of the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, as reported by Business Standard. Amazon (4,644), Meta (1,555), Microsoft (1,394), and Google (1,050) were ahead of Apple on new approvals.
• FY 2025 continuing-employment approvals: 4,610, which ranks Apple fifth in the country behind Amazon (14,532), TCS (5,293), Microsoft (4,863), and Meta (4,740), and just ahead of Google (4,509).
• Taken together, that is roughly 5,400 approved petitions in FY 2025 — a large existing H-1B workforce and a steady stream of new hires.

The distinction matters for students. The 823 figure counts first-time H-1B hires; the 4,610 figure is mostly Apple's current visa holders keeping their status. If you are an F-1 student hoping to be sponsored for the first time, 823 a year across a very large applicant pool is the number to keep in mind.

OPT, STEM OPT, and CPT at Apple

• OPT: you do not need employer sponsorship to work on post-completion OPT, so a full-time Apple offer can begin on your OPT EAD.
• STEM OPT: the employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and complete a Form I-983 training plan with you. Confirm with your recruiter that the specific hiring team will support STEM OPT before you apply for the extension.
• CPT and internships: F-1 students generally work internships under CPT authorized by their school's DSO. Check that your internship offer letter and your CPT authorization match before your start date.
• OPT to H-1B: because you are already in the U.S., Apple can file your H-1B as a change of status. USCIS guidance cited by Fox TV stations notes F-1 students changing status inside the U.S. are not subject to the $100,000 payment.

Recent news that affects Apple sponsorship

• Travel warnings: in December 2025 NPR reported that Apple and Google told some U.S.-based employees on visas to avoid traveling abroad, with law firm Fragomen advising that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for now, because of lengthy consulate appointment delays and expanded social-media vetting.
• The $100,000 fee: it applies to certain new petitions for workers outside the U.S., and a federal court vacated the USCIS policy implementing it on June 8, 2026. Its legal status has continued to change, so check our policy coverage for the latest before you rely on it.

What this means if you are on F-1, CPT, or OPT

• Apple does sponsor, and at scale — but its new-hire volume (823 in FY 2025) is small relative to how many students apply. Strong applicants still face a lottery on top of a competitive interview process.
• Target the engineering, hardware, silicon, and machine-learning teams that typically sponsor.
• A CPT internship or a STEM OPT start is the most common route to a sponsored role; STEM OPT gives you up to three H-1B lottery attempts.
• If you are already on H-1B at Apple, follow the company's travel guidance and talk to its immigration counsel before leaving the U.S.
• Build a list of other sponsors in your field. No single employer should be your only plan.

Bottom line

Apple sponsors H-1B visas in large numbers: 823 new approvals and 4,610 continuing approvals in FY 2025, with a large existing H-1B workforce. For F-1 students it is a realistic target on OPT, STEM OPT, or after a CPT internship, but the number of new sponsored hires is limited, so apply broadly and plan around the lottery.