In the heart of Silicon Valley, where layoffs have swept through tech giants. One race shows no signs of slowing—the fierce battle for top global talent. Despite waves of job cuts, startups, especially those focused on artificial intelligence, continue competing for skilled workers worldwide. With critical expertise still scarce, companies like OpenAI and Anthropic lean heavily on the H-1B visa filings program to fuel their ambitions and stay ahead.
The H-1B visa fillings allows U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals in specialized fields for up to six years. But landing one isn’t easy. Startups must first sponsor the candidate, then rely on a lottery system that offers just 85,000 visas annually. Demand regularly outpaces supply, yet startups persist, navigating this complex system in hopes of gaining a crucial edge.
Using data from the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The following ranking highlights the startups that submitted the most H-1B visa requests during the 2024 fiscal year. Each filing represents a company’s effort to secure vital global expertise to power their growth.
Ripple, the crypto infrastructure giant for financial services, stands among the top recruiters, logging 26 certified filings. Grammarly, known for its AI-powered writing assistant, followed closely with 28 filings. Fintech powerhouse Plaid, which connects users’ financial data with apps, also recorded 28.
Next, equity management platform Carta submitted 30 H-1B filings, reflecting the growing demand for talent in the financial infrastructure space. Thumbtack, a platform that connects users to local service providers, edged ahead with 31.
Social media platform X Corp., owned by Elon Musk, wasn’t far behind with 32 certified applications, a reflection of its ongoing need for specialized skills. Meanwhile, AI safety startup Anthropic, backed by billions in funding, recorded 35 filings, matching drone delivery pioneer Zipline, which also posted 35.
Peer-to-peer car-sharing platform Turo tallied 36 filings as it continues scaling operations. AI data labeling unicorn Scale AI, critical to training large models, reported 42 certifications, underlining how AI development is fueling international hiring.
Gusto, offering payroll and HR software for small businesses, pushed forward with 48 filings, while cloud-based security camera company Verkada outpaced them slightly with 52.
Autonomous vehicle developer Nuro, working on self-driving delivery systems, logged 59 certified applications. Cloud data management firm Cohesity was next, reaching 61 filings as demand for data security continues rising.
OpenAI, the poster child of generative AI and creator of ChatGPT, cemented its need for top talent with 74 certified H-1B visa filings—an expected move as AI competition intensifies globally.
Chime, offering fee-free mobile banking, upped the ante with 101 filings, while fintech giant Stripe soared with 265 certified applications. Known for powering online payments worldwide, Stripe’s need for international expertise remains immense.
Data and AI platform Databricks, valued at over $40 billion, submitted 283 filings, reinforcing the huge demand for AI talent. However, Chinese tech behemoth ByteDance, parent company of TikTok, dominated the list with a staggering 997 certified H-1B filings.
TikTok itself, operating out of Los Angeles and Singapore, wasn’t far behind, recording 614 filings. Together, ByteDance and TikTok represent the largest share of visa requests, underscoring their global talent acquisition push amid regulatory pressures.
While these numbers reveal just a fraction of the talent war, they highlight how startups—armed with billions in funding—are competing alongside established giants to secure the brightest minds. The H-1B visa program remains a lifeline, especially for companies betting big on artificial intelligence, data, fintech, and emerging technologies.
