Build your U.S. career on H-1B status
The H-1B visa lets professionals with at least a bachelor's degree work in the U.S. in a specialty occupation. It's employer-sponsored, grants an initial three years of work authorization that can extend to six, and supports dual intent — so you can pursue a green card while you hold H-1B status. Professionals across Fort Lauderdale's marine and yachting, technology, healthcare, and financial services rely on it to work legally for American employers.
From the marine and yachting firms along the coast to the technology and healthcare employers expanding across Broward County, Fort Lauderdale draws skilled professionals who need reliable work authorization. Recent changes, including the new H-1B fee rule, have added complexity, but the H-1B remains one of the strongest paths for skilled professionals to build a long-term career in the United States.
Check your H-1B eligibility
You may qualify for an H-1B visa if you meet these core requirements:
- Hold a bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) in a field directly related to the specialty occupation you'll work in.
- Have a job offer from a Fort Lauderdale employer for a role that genuinely requires that degree — for example, a software developer or marine engineer.
- Your employer sponsors the petition and obtains an approved Labor Condition Application (LCA) from the Department of Labor.
- You're selected in the annual lottery — unless the role is with a cap-exempt employer such as a university or nonprofit research institution.
How we prepare your H-1B petition faster
Lighthouse pairs experienced immigration attorneys with our own platform to prepare your H-1B petition in weeks, not months. An H-1B visa lawyer handles every detail — from the initial evaluation through USCIS submission — so you can stay focused on your work in Fort Lauderdale.
Clear visa guidance
Our platform helps you understand your options, walks through the requirements, and shows how to build a stronger case. Share your details through a simple form and we'll follow up with concrete next steps.
Expert legal review
Your petition gets a full review from attorneys who know USCIS expectations inside out. We help you navigate amendments, job changes, and complex situations, and steer your application clear of the common pitfalls that trigger an RFE.
Clarity at every step
You always know where your petition stands. The Lighthouse platform shows your status, the documents you still need, and upcoming deadlines, with clear timelines so you can plan ahead without surprises.
Built for Fort Lauderdale's specialty roles
We work with professionals across marine and yachting, technology, healthcare, and financial services, and we use that experience to present your role and qualifications to USCIS in the strongest possible light.
Manage your entire petition online
The Lighthouse platform puts you in command of your H-1B petition: upload documents, message your case team, and review and sign personalized filings in one place. An H-1B visa attorney on our team reviews the final application with you before we submit it to USCIS.
Download our complete H-1B visa guide
Read our in-depth guide for the full H-1B process, from eligibility to approval.
- Step-by-step application process
- H-4 visas for dependents
- Job changes and H-1B portability
- Timeline and cost breakdown
- The 2026 H-1B fee rule
Frequently asked questions
Each March, USCIS opens H-1B registration and runs a random lottery that selects about 85,000 petitions. If your registration is picked, your employer files the full petition. Some Fort Lauderdale employers — universities and nonprofit research organizations among them — are cap-exempt and can sponsor H-1B workers any time of year, outside the lottery.
You generally need a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific field, and the job itself must require that degree — what USCIS calls a "specialty occupation." Relevant professional experience can sometimes substitute for formal education. For a software developer or marine engineer role, the position and your background need to line up for the petition to succeed.
A recent <a href="https://www.lighthousehq.com/blog/presidential-proclamation-on-h-1b-fees">presidential proclamation</a> introduced a significant fee on certain new H-1B petitions. It applies only to workers who are outside the United States and don't already hold a valid H-1B visa. If you're in the U.S. and your employer files a change of status or an extension, you're exempt.
The process begins with the March lottery registration. If you're selected, your employer can file from April 1. Standard processing takes several months; premium processing returns a decision in 15 calendar days. When approved, H-1B status and work authorization typically begin on October 1.
Yes. H-1B portability lets you switch employers — your new company files a fresh H-1B petition, and once USCIS issues the receipt notice you can usually start work. You don't need to re-enter the lottery, so you're free to pursue better opportunities across Fort Lauderdale.
Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can apply for H-4 dependent status to live and study in the U.S. with you. In certain cases — for example, once you have an approved I-140 green-card petition — your spouse may also qualify for work authorization.
Start your H-1B application with Lighthouse
With Lighthouse you get clear guidance on your options and a legal team — including an experienced H-1B visa lawyer — that manages your case through USCIS submission.