← All articles

10 Tools Every H-1B Worker Needs for Their Green Card Journey

7 min read
Listen to this article8 min listen

Navigating the U.S. immigration system as an H-1B worker involves dozens of decisions — when to file, which employer to choose, whether to change jobs, and how to stay informed about policy changes. Most of the data you need to make these decisions is publicly available, but it's scattered across government websites, buried in PDFs, and difficult to interpret.

GreenCardClock brings this data together into easy-to-use tools designed specifically for immigration applicants, most of them free. Here's a guide to every tool available on the platform.

1. Priority Date Estimator

The Priority Date Estimator is the flagship tool. Enter your EB category, country of birth, and priority date to see estimated wait times, with conservative, base case, and optimistic scenarios. The three scenario dates need a $0.99 24-hour pass (up to 3 priority dates), the Day Pass or Pro.

Estimates are based on historical visa bulletin movement patterns published by the U.S. Department of State. The tool updates automatically when new bulletins are released, so you always see the latest data without checking manually.

Data sourced from travel.state.gov. Estimates based on historical trends — not guarantees.

2. Salary Explorer (LCA Data)

The Salary Explorer lets you search through publicly filed Labor Condition Applications (LCAs). Every H-1B employer must file an LCA disclosing the job title, wage, and location — this tool makes that data searchable.

Filter by employer, job title, state, or wage level. See filing volumes, salary distributions, and how wages compare across companies and regions. It's particularly useful for understanding what employers typically pay for specific roles.

Data sourced from DOL OFLC disclosure files. LCA filings represent applications, not approvals.

3. Employer Sponsorship Tracker

The Employer Sponsorship Tracker goes deeper on individual employers. Search any company to see their H-1B filing history — total filings, petition types (new vs. transfer vs. continuation), wage level distribution, and top job titles.

This is especially useful when evaluating a potential employer. You can see whether a company has a consistent sponsorship track record, how many new petitions they file versus renewals, and what salary ranges they typically offer.

4. Sponsor Finder

Looking for companies that actively sponsor H-1B workers? The Sponsor Finder helps you discover employers by location and industry based on their public LCA filing history.

Unlike generic job boards, this tool focuses specifically on employers with a demonstrated history of H-1B sponsorship filings. Each result links to the full employer profile so you can dig into the details.

5. Compare My Offer (Salary Benchmark)

The Compare My Offer tool lets you benchmark a job offer against real LCA filing data. Enter the employer name, job title, and offered salary to see where your offer falls relative to what the same employer — and competing employers — have filed for similar roles.

The tool shows your approximate percentile rank, prevailing wage level comparison, wages at competing employers, and three-year wage trends. It also surfaces sponsorship signals that may be relevant to your immigration timeline.

Based on LCA filing data, not actual compensation. Wages in LCA filings may differ from total compensation packages.

6. H-1B Transfer Risk Evaluator

Thinking about changing jobs? The H-1B Transfer Risk Evaluator helps you evaluate the potential impact. Enter your current and target employer, along with your I-140 status, to see a side-by-side comparison of both companies' sponsorship profiles.

The tool highlights risk factors — like a target employer with low filing volumes or a high proportion of short-term petitions — alongside positive signals. It also explains how your I-140 status affects portability and green card timeline implications.

This tool provides general information only and is not legal advice. Always consult an immigration attorney before making employment changes that affect your visa status.

7. USCIS Case Status

The USCIS Case Status tool keeps your USCIS receipt numbers in one place. Check Status copies a receipt number and opens USCIS Case Status Online, where you paste it to see USCIS's own status, and the page links to USCIS's posted processing times.

Your saved cases are stored locally in your browser, with no account required and nothing sent to our servers. When USCIS's processing times service answers, the page shows its posted times with their date; otherwise it links to USCIS's processing times page.

8. Immigration Policy Alerts

Policy changes can significantly affect immigration timelines. The Policy Alerts page tracks USCIS updates, executive orders, fee changes, and travel advisories that are relevant to H-1B workers and green card applicants.

Filter alerts by category (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, H-1B, I-485) and impact level. Each alert includes source attribution so you can verify the information directly.

9. Attorney Directory

When you need professional legal guidance, the Attorney Directory helps you find immigration attorneys who specialize in employment-based cases. Filter by specialty (PERM, H-1B, EB green cards) and location.

GreenCardClock does not endorse any attorney listed in the directory. No attorney-client relationship is created through this directory.

10. Community Timelines

The Community Timelines page shows self-reported case milestones from other immigration applicants. See when others with similar profiles reached key steps — from I-140 approval to EAD receipt to green card in hand.

Filter by category, country, and employer to find cases that match your situation. This peer data can help set realistic expectations alongside the bulletin-based estimates.

How These Tools Work Together

Each tool is useful on its own, but they're designed to complement each other:

Built on Public Data

Most tools on GreenCardClock are free to use. On the Priority Date Estimator, the three scenario dates need a $0.99 24-hour pass (up to 3 priority dates), the Day Pass or Pro. The data comes from publicly available government sources: DOL OFLC disclosure files, U.S. Department of State visa bulletins, and USCIS processing time data. No proprietary datasets.

Subscribe to the free email for each new visa bulletin's Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, sent once per bulletin.

All tools provide estimates and general information based on publicly available data. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney for guidance on your specific situation.

Check your green card timeline

Get an estimated green card timeline based on your country, EB category, and priority date. The three scenario dates need a $0.99 24-hour pass (up to 3 priority dates), the Day Pass or Pro.

Open Priority Date Estimator
Questions? Ask here