Cap-exempt H-1B employers

Petitions from these employers are not subject to the annual H-1B numerical cap. No lottery, and a petition can be filed on any day of the year. 22,533 employers match one of the statutory categories.

What makes an employer cap-exempt

INA 214(g)(5) exempts four categories: (A) institutions of higher education, (B) nonprofit entities related to or affiliated with an institution of higher education, (C) nonprofit research organizations, and (D) governmental research organizations.

A common misconception

A K-12 public school district is a political subdivision, not an institution of higher education, so it is not automatically cap-exempt. Some districts do qualify under category (B) through a written affiliation agreement with a university. Ask the district directly whether such an agreement exists.

Largest cap-exempt sponsors

• UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN — 6,627 approvals, ANN ARBOR, MI
• CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION — 4,950 approvals, CLEVELAND, OH
• THE LELAND STANFORD JR UNIVERSITY — 4,862 approvals, STANFORD, CA
• JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY — 4,833 approvals, BALTIMORE, MD
• UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA — 4,731 approvals, PHILADELPHIA, PA
• MAYO CLINIC — 4,715 approvals, ROCHESTER, MN
• YALE UNIVERSITY — 4,445 approvals, NEW HAVEN, CT
• COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY — 4,392 approvals, NEW YORK, NY
• UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH — 4,066 approvals, PITTSBURGH, PA
• WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST LOUIS — 3,837 approvals, SAINT LOUIS, MO
• HARVARD UNIVERSITY — 3,781 approvals, CAMBRIDGE, MA
• DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT — 3,754 approvals, DALLAS, TX
• EMORY UNIVERSITY — 3,722 approvals, ATLANTA, GA
• UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA — 3,674 approvals, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
• MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CE — 3,529 approvals, NEW YORK, NY
• UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA — 3,529 approvals, GAINESVILLE, FL
• UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND — 3,435 approvals, COLLEGE PARK, MD
• NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY — 3,418 approvals, EVANSTON, IL
• THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO — 3,359 approvals, CHICAGO, IL
• THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY — 3,169 approvals, COLUMBUS, OH
• THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA — 3,087 approvals, IOWA CITY, IA
• BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE — 2,943 approvals, HOUSTON, TX
• UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON — 2,782 approvals, SEATTLE, WA
• UNIV OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO — 2,745 approvals, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
• THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY — 2,685 approvals, UNIVERSITY PARK, PA
• THE UNIV OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM — 2,601 approvals, BIRMINGHAM, AL
• THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA — 2,594 approvals, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
• TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY — 2,434 approvals, COLLEGE STATION, TX
• MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY — 2,406 approvals, EAST LANSING, MI
• CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL CORPORATION — 2,398 approvals, BOSTON, MA
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY — 2,364 approvals, BERKELEY, CA
• UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — 2,359 approvals, LOS ANGELES, CA
• UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER — 2,329 approvals, DALLAS, TX
• UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO — 2,278 approvals, CHICAGO, IL
• UT BATTELLE LLC ORNL — 2,275 approvals, OAK RIDGE, TN
• UNIVERSITY OF UTAH — 2,273 approvals, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
• STANFORD UNIV — 2,188 approvals, STANFORD, CA
• THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIV — 2,169 approvals, PRINCETON, NJ
• HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE — 2,141 approvals, CHEVY CHASE, MD
• MASSACHUSETTS INST OF TECHNOLOGY — 2,123 approvals, CAMBRIDGE, MA
• WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE — 2,105 approvals, NEW YORK, NY
• RUTGERS THE STATE UNIV OF NJ — 2,100 approvals, NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ
• PURDUE UNIVERSITY — 2,079 approvals, WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS — 2,073 approvals, DAVIS, CA
• THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN — 2,063 approvals, AUSTIN, TX
• CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY — 1,996 approvals, CLEVELAND, OH
• INDIANA UNIVERSITY — 1,981 approvals, BLOOMINGTON, IN
• ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY — 1,955 approvals, TEMPE, AZ
• NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH/HHS — 1,934 approvals, BETHESDA, MD
• DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE — 1,927 approvals, BOSTON, MA
• UNIV OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES — 1,913 approvals, LOS ANGELES, CA
• MONTEFIORE MEDICAL CENTER — 1,909 approvals, BRONX, NY
• TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY — 1,878 approvals, LUBBOCK, TX
• UNIV OF WI SYSTEM/MADISON — 1,843 approvals, MADISON, WI
• HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM — 1,829 approvals, DETROIT, MI
• VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY — 1,821 approvals, NASHVILLE, TN
• UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY — 1,798 approvals, LEXINGTON, KY
• THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA — 1,796 approvals, TUCSON, AZ
• NEW YORK UNIVERSITY — 1,770 approvals, NEW YORK, NY
• TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY — 1,757 approvals, BOSTON, MA
• CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY — 1,738 approvals, PASADENA, CA
• GENERAL HOSP CORP D/B/A MASS GENERAL HOSP — 1,715 approvals, SOMERVILLE, MA
• TEMPLE UNIVERSITY — 1,682 approvals, PHILADELPHIA, PA
• LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LAB — 1,676 approvals, BERKELEY, CA
• UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA — 1,673 approvals, NORMAN, OK
• UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON — 1,666 approvals, HOUSTON, TX
• UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER — 1,658 approvals, ROCHESTER, NY
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO — 1,654 approvals, LA JOLLA, CA
• GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY — 1,652 approvals, ATLANTA, GA
• BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE — 1,629 approvals, RICHLAND, WA
• STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO — 1,608 approvals, BUFFALO, NY
• DUKE UNIV UNIV MED CTR & AFFIL INS — 1,598 approvals, DURHAM, NC
• IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY — 1,576 approvals, AMES, IA
• UNIV OF WISCONSIN MADISON — 1,533 approvals, MADISON, WI
• UCHICAGO ARGONNE LLC — 1,504 approvals, LEMONT, IL
• BRIGHAM AND WOMEN S HOSPITAL INC — 1,493 approvals, SOMERVILLE, MA
• UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN — 1,464 approvals, LINCOLN, NE
• ST JUDE CHILDREN S RESEARCH HOSP — 1,450 approvals, MEMPHIS, TN
• CINCINNATI CHILDREN S HOSP MED CTR — 1,443 approvals, CINCINNATI, OH
• UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIENCES — 1,400 approvals, LITTLE ROCK, AR

Cap-exempt status is determined by the petitioning employer and their counsel, not by this site. These flags indicate only that an employer resembles a statutory category.

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Data updated October 2, 2026