We now have Quarter 4 H1B visa FY 2023 data and Quarter 4 PERM visa FY 2023 data and Quarter 4 H2A visa FY 2023 data.
Employer Search tool is moved to it's own page: "H1B Visa Data Search Tool"

California Foreign Labor Visa Stats (All Years)

Total Visas	% of all Visas	Average Wage	Visa Type
1,236,055	87.25%	$104,510	H-1B
144,051	10.17%	$144,477	PERM
30,331	2.14%	$109,456	E-3 Australian
6,165	0.44%	$31,590	H-2A

As of May 2023, California has seen a total of 1,416,602 visa workers across all visa types. The most common visa class in California is the H-1B visa with 1,236,055 H-1B visas on record over all years accounting for 87.25% of California's total visas. The second most prevalent visa is the PERM visa with 144,051 PERM visas on record over all years accounting for 10.17% of California's total visas.

Top Occupations in California (All Years)

Occupation	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Software Developers, Applications	193,998	$113,139	89.21%
Computer Systems Analysts	104,772	$82,444	91.31%
Software Developers, Systems Software	58,151	$123,588	89.22%
Computer Programmers	52,515	$69,323	89.56%
Computer Occupations, All Other	51,521	$83,900	91.45%
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer	39,912	$119,022	90.94%
Accountants and Auditors	23,125	$69,041	91.77%
Computer and Information Systems Managers	19,359	$173,059	91.40%
Management Analysts	17,285	$90,027	91.40%
Electrical Engineers	16,250	$117,766	88.31%

Occupation	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse	2,366	$34,286	753.50%
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals	1,587	$30,893	510.29%
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop	714	$32,564	253.19%
Agricultural Equipment Operators	179	$35,796	68.58%
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	53	$44,467	20.54%
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians	43	$45,492	17.20%
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers	21	$48,882	9.29%
Agricultural Workers, All Other	13	$31,001	6.31%
Food Preparation Workers	8	$35,844	7.08%
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners	8	$33,545	8.99%

Occupation	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Software Developers, Applications	26,507	$160,581	96.90%
Software Developers, Systems Software	15,563	$135,396	61.52%
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer	9,259	$111,482	219.88%
Computer Systems Analysts	6,744	$171,595	237.30%
Computer Occupations, All Other	3,491	$113,090	186.78%
Computer and Information Systems Managers	2,352	$165,802	148.96%
Accountants and Auditors	2,305	$123,676	162.21%
Statisticians	2,015	$82,718	149.70%
Sales Engineers	1,325	$118,264	104.83%
Marketing Managers	1,310	$141,709	107.73%

California Employees Over Time

California has been in the H1B Visa program since 2011 where 50,870 employees were hired. California peaked in 2018 with 106,682 employees, and has since been on a decline with the most recent number of employees being 18,356 in 2025.

Top Countries with Workers in California From PERM Program (All Years)

Country	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Andorra	1	$130,603	100.00%

Top Hiring Companies in California (All Years)

Company	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Luminus Inc	28	$94,850	87.50%
Msc Software Corporation	28	$75,707	87.50%
The Permanente Medical Group Inc	28	$200,391	87.50%
Zeta Metrics Llc	28	$85,835	87.50%
Sisl Networks Inc	28	$64,076	87.50%
Server Management Services Llc	28	$70,661	87.50%
Talent9 Inc	28	$81,827	87.50%
Alliedmedix Resources Inc	28	$66,307	87.50%
Alliance Fiber Optic Products Inc	28	$83,264	87.50%
Searles Valley Minerals Inc	28	$77,619	87.50%

Company	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %

Company	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Jjs Pharmacy	2	$95,025	33.33%
International Audio Visual Communication	2	$68,588	33.33%
Fuji Food Products Inc	2	$36,171	33.33%
Cerritos Presbyterian Church	2	$48,807	33.33%
Coyote Films Inc	2	$40,706	33.33%
Sur Trading Dba Nativa Furniture	2	$70,720	33.33%
Clm Care Home	2	$18,512	33.33%
Plaza Park Care Home	2	$18,387	33.33%
H Y Planning Inc	2	$42,838	33.33%
Telecommunications Consulting Inc	2	$102,097	33.33%

Top Industries in California (All Years)

Industry	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Other Insurance Related Activities	104	$92,479	87.39%
Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing	104	$48,074	88.14%
Business Associations	103	$99,766	88.03%
Beverage Manufacturing	101	$93,175	87.07%
Independent Artists Writers And Performers	100	$57,108	86.96%
Surveying And Mapping Except Geophysical Services	99	$85,207	86.09%
Social Advocacy Organizations	99	$68,905	87.61%
Cheese Manufacturing	98	$83,293	86.73%
Other Transit And Ground Passenger Transportation	97	$114,577	87.39%
Aircraft Engine And Engine Parts Manufacturing	97	$98,285	87.39%

Industry	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %

Industry	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Structural Steel And Precast Concrete Contractors	35	$66,677	92.11%
Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing	35	$58,221	92.11%
Continuing Care Retirement Communities	35	$69,811	92.11%
Individual And Family Services	35	$49,159	92.11%
Local Messengers And Local Delivery	35	$53,849	94.59%
Wine And Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers	35	$77,858	94.59%
Credit Unions	34	$119,790	91.89%
Other Noncitrus Fruit Farming	34	$82,943	91.89%
Wood Kitchen Cabinet And Countertop Manufacturing	34	$52,039	91.89%
Flower Nursery Stock And Florists Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	34	$45,318	94.44%

California Wage Comparison to Other States (All Years)

The chart below compares The average wage in California to that of the other top 9 states with the highest overall average H1-B wage. The average wage in California over all years is $104,510. California has the highest average wage of H1-B workers for all states, with the second highest average wage being WA with an average wage of $103,635.