Understanding H-1B LCA Data

What LCA filing records show, and what they cannot show about a separate USCIS process.

Where the LCA fits in the H-1B process

The H-1B visa allows US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree. The process has three stages:

LCA filing (DOL): The employer files a Labor Condition Application with the Department of Labor, attesting to the wage level and working conditions. This is what PlainVisa tracks.
H-1B petition (USCIS): After LCA certification, the employer files Form I-129 with US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Lottery/adjudication: If the annual cap is exceeded (it usually is), USCIS conducts a random lottery. Cap-exempt employers (universities, research institutions) skip the lottery.

Browse all employers to see which companies file the most LCAs.

What LCA Data Shows

Each LCA filing contains detailed information that PlainVisa aggregates into searchable profiles:

Employer filer counts: Which employer names appear most often in the disclosed filings and their DOL certification status. This does not confirm a USCIS petition or hiring.
Occupation counts: Which job titles and SOC codes are most common in the LCA extract. These are filing counts, not a measure of demand or eligibility.
Worksite distribution: Which state and metro worksites appear in the filings. This does not identify where workers were ultimately placed.
Wage fields: Listed offered wages and prevailing-wage levels (I through IV). These fields are not verified payroll or total compensation.

Using PlainVisa Data

PlainVisa is useful for several audiences:

Job seekers: Compare disclosed employer filing records and offered-wage fields without treating them as a promise of sponsorship or employment.
Researchers and policymakers: Analyze documented DOL filing patterns, with the limits of the extract stated alongside the results.
US workers: Examine filing distributions by occupation and worksite without inferring labor-market demand.
Employers: Compare their disclosed LCA filing records with similar DOL records.

Use rankings to see employer filers, listed offered-wage summaries, and metro filing records.

Wage Level Breakdown

DOL wage data uses four prevailing-wage levels. The applicable amount depends on occupation, area, wage year, and the facts of the filing; PlainVisa does not infer actual pay or a worker's experience from this field.

Level	Description	Reference point	Record limit
I	Entry level	~17th percentile	Not verified pay or an outcome
II	Qualified	~34th percentile	Not verified pay or an outcome
III	Experienced	~50th percentile	Not verified pay or an outcome
IV	Fully competent	~67th percentile	Not verified pay or an outcome

The levels are reference points, not salary ranges. Listed LCA wages are attestations, not verified payroll or total compensation.

Worked Example: Reading an Employer Profile

Consider a fictional employer "Acme Corp" in our database. Its profile might show 2,500 LCA filings, a 92% DOL certification rate, and a $145,000 median listed offered wage for software-engineer rows. A change from 450 filings in FY2023 to 850 in FY2025 is a change in the disclosure record, not evidence of headcount growth. Worksite shares are likewise filing-record distributions, not evidence of hiring, actual pay, or visa outcomes.

Common Misinterpretations

LCA count is not headcount: It is a filing count and does not establish hires, current openings, or a workforce size.
A listed wage is not verified payroll: The extract does not establish actual compensation or total compensation.
High volume is not a quality rating: Filing volume and wage levels cannot, by themselves, support a judgment about an employer or its employment practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an LCA?

A Labor Condition Application (LCA) is a DOL filing with wage and working-condition attestations. It can precede a separate H-1B petition to USCIS, but an LCA record does not establish that a petition was filed, approved, or used for employment. PlainVisa tracks the DOL filing records.

Does an LCA filing mean someone got an H-1B visa?

No. A DOL LCA filing is separate from a USCIS H-1B petition and visa decision. The LCA record alone does not show whether a petition was filed, selected, approved, or used to hire a worker.

What fiscal years does PlainVisa cover?

PlainVisa includes DOL LCA filing data from FY2023 through FY2026, covering 2,095,703 filings. The DOL publishes LCA data quarterly. Fiscal years run October to September (FY2026 = October 2025 through September 2026).

What information is in each LCA?

Each LCA includes the employer name and address, job title and SOC occupation code, worksite location, prevailing wage level (I-IV), offered wage, full-time or part-time status, employment dates, and certification status. PlainVisa aggregates this into employer profiles, occupation breakdowns, and geographic patterns.

Can I look up a specific employer's LCA filing record?

Yes. PlainVisa has a searchable database of employers named in DOL LCA disclosures. Each employer page shows filing totals, DOL certification status, listed offered wages, job titles, yearly filing trends, and worksites. These are DOL records, not a history of approved petitions, hires, or visas.

Is H-1B data the same as immigration data?

No. H-1B is one of many visa categories. PlainVisa covers only H-1B (specialty occupation) LCA filings from the DOL. It does not cover H-2B (temporary non-agricultural), L-1 (intracompany transfer), O-1 (extraordinary ability), or immigrant visa categories (green cards). H-1B is the most common employer-sponsored work visa for professional roles.

Sources

U.S. Department of Labor, LCA Disclosure Data, FY2023-FY2026
USCIS, H-1B Program Overview

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Consult an immigration attorney for guidance specific to your situation.