In Connecticut, many companies rely on highly skilled foreign workers to fill jobs, especially in technology fields.
The H-1B visa program is a key part of this, allowing workers to live and work in the U.S. for three years, with the option to extend up to six. It’s been a hot topic in recent months, as many want to know whether President-elect Donald Trump will support the program or will create new restrictions, as he did in his last term.
Out of 1,496 companies that filed for H-1B visas on behalf of their employees in Connecticut, 298 identified themselves as H-1B-dependent, meaning they employ a significant proportion of H-1B workers.
Employers apply for H-1B visas by filing Labor Condition Applications. The LCAs can be for new workers, extensions of existing H1B visas or other changes to H-1B and related visas. The U.S. Department of Labor counts cases that were reviewed and approved, withdrawn and denied.
Of the employers that are headquartered in Connecticut, around 1,052 of the LCA filings are for software developer positions. On average, H-1B workers employed by Connecticut employers earn $123,868 annually, compared to the prevailing wage for all workers in similar positions of $100,823, which is the average wage for similarly employed workers in the same occupation and region.
Although some companies based outside Connecticut file more LCAs, Yale University stands out as the top H-1B employer based in Connecticut, with 494 filings in the 2024 fiscal year, includes cases that were withdrawn.
Of worksite locations based in Connecticut, 1,552 LCA filings are for software developer positions, more than 1,380 are for computer systems analysts, engineers and programmers, and 358 are for information technology managers. Companies with significant numbers of H1B workers in Connecticut include Accenture LLP, Cognizant Technology Solutions US Corp, Infosys Limited, LTIMindtree Limited, Tata Consultancy Services Limited, the University of Connecticut, and Yale University. While some of these companies may not have their headquarters in Connecticut, their workers are based in the state. The average wage for foreign highly skilled employees working in Connecticut is $116,554, while the prevailing wage is $98,460.
The towns with the most highly skilled foreign workers in Connecticut were Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Bloomfield, and Wilton in 2024. Hartford leads with 1,550 workers, as a hub for insurance, finance and technology workers. Stamford is next as a center for corporate headquarters and financial services, with 527 workers. New Haven follows with 442 workers, in academic and medical institutions such as Yale. Bloomfield had 290 LACs certified in the last fiscal year, and Wilton had 202.
Elon Musk and other tech giants support the program.
“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B,” Musk said in a comment on his social media platform known as X. Meanwhile, others criticize the program, saying it takes jobs from American citizens.