How to Get Job Sponsorship at a FAANG Company in the U.S.
Getting into a FAANG company is tough enough. Doing it as a foreigner? That's where things get strategic.
Securing a position at one of the FAANG companies, Facebook (now Meta), Apple, Amazon, Netflix, or Google (now Alphabet), has become the tech world's equivalent of arriving in the big leagues. If you're moving from outside the U.S., there's another hurdle to pass: getting them to hire you and sponsor your visa.
Even if you're the perfect paper candidate, without understanding how sponsorship works, your application might not even be glanced at. It's not about proving you can do the work, but that you're worth the extra paperwork and inconvenience. So, that's where planning comes in.
With U.S. immigration policies tightening and competition fiercer than ever, getting a FAANG company to sponsor your visa in 2025 requires strategy, grit, and a bit of luck. Let’s break it down step-by-step.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
How to Land a FAANG Sponsorship in the U.S.
1) Know what sponsorship looks like in the US
First things first, in the U.S., corporate sponsorship is more than just a job offer. It indicates that the business is prepared to bear the additional expense, documentation, and legal challenges necessary to get your authorisation to work inthe nation, usually through an H-1B visa.
The worst part is that they don't simply sponsor anybody. You must demonstrate that your abilities are difficult to find locally and be filling a position that is classified as a "specialty vocation." This is not unusual for large digital firms such as FAANG, but that also does not make it automatic.
Example: You could be a backend engineer with significant distributed systems experience. Google would be willing to sponsor you on an H-1B visa if your skill set is such that they identify the company has a gap that you can fill.
2) Know which visas FAANG companies typically use
In the majority of cases, you are considering the H-1B visa because it's the primary work visa for skilled foreign professionals in the U.S., especially in tech and FAANG companies.
That route is capped and highly competitive, and applications are submitted in March, with a lottery used to choose who is selected. If you are already here in school on an F-1 visa, you can get Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT, which provides time for you to move into H-1B.
Some jobs are also eligible for the O-1 visa (for individuals of extraordinary ability), especially if you've got decent accomplishments, like published publications or open-source work. And if you've been with the firm abroad for a year or more, the L-1 intra-company transfer visa might be open to you.
Example: Suppose you're an F-1 student on an internship at Apple. You'd want to prepare well in advance for STEM OPT and anticipate an H-1B filing before that one runs out.
3) Acquire skills FAANG needs
It is not the time to chase hip job descriptions. FAANG companies have very specific hiring requirements: backend engineers who know scalable systems, ML engineers who know the production-deployment model, and security engineers who can harden cloud infrastructure.
Your best bet is to check out recent job listings, see what skills are being required, and tailor your portfolio or GitHub projects accordingly.
Example: If Amazon is continually searching for data engineers with AWS Glue and Redshift experience, you can spend your next project learning to build an ETL pipeline using those tools, and sharing it on GitHub.
4) Get internships or remote jobs first
Breaking in directly from outside the U.S. is not easy. If you're a student, your best bet is to take an internship, ideally through on-campus recruitment. That puts you in a better place to get a full-time offer with sponsorship later on.
If you're already working abroad outside the US, aim for a job in a FAANG global office. These companies tend to transfer talent internally through L-1 visas.
Example: You can be working in Meta's London office. A year later, you can ask to move to their California HQ through an L-1B visa.
5) Tailor your sponsorship-ready job application
Not all jobs are open to visa applicants, even at FAANG. Some jobs specifically mention "no visa sponsorship." Target those labeled as "visa sponsorship available" or interview through hiring programs that specifically seek international applicants, like Meta University or Google STEP (for students).
Example: You’re browsing Netflix careers and notice a role that says “visa sponsorship available.” That’s your cue to not only apply but tailor your CV to hit every technical requirement listed, especially if it’s a specialised role.
6) Prepare for the visa process early
Once you receive the offer, timing is of the essence. FAANG firms are accustomed to submitting H-1Bs in March, but you must have your documents ready and qualifications assembled well ahead of time. If you let it slip by, you're waiting another year or at risk of running out of status.
Example: Suppose Amazon gives you an offer in December. They'll require all your documentation in order by February to apply for the March H-1B lottery. Getting that one wrong means you can't start legally, even with a signed contract.
7) Consider contingency planning and alternate routes
Be practical, immigration is never guaranteed. Even when you get the offer, you might not win the H-1B lottery. So it's best to have fallback options: an OPT-eligible master's degree in the US, or shooting smaller US companies that may still sponsor, but with lesser competition.
Example: You did not get picked in the H-1B lottery last year. Instead of throwing in the towel, you take a master's in technology at Carnegie Mellon. That leaves you with 3 additional years on STEM OPT to try again.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
Conclusion
Getting into a FAANG company is not a cakewalk. Doing so on a visa sponsorship makes it all the more tough, but it is possible. With the right strategy, some patience, and a strong sense of what these companies expect, you can turn that career dream into a US visa reality.
