i'm in a spot i haven't seen discussed much. h1b sponsored by current employer, i have an offer from a new company that's also willing to sponsor. base is lower than i'd like by about 15k.
my concern: i'm worried that if i push on salary, the hiring manager interprets it as "this candidate is already a legal headache, now they're also difficult on comp." i know that's probably irrational but it's in my head.
has anyone negotiated successfully while being visa-dependent on the new employer? did it change the dynamic at all? any scripts that worked?
5 replies
intl_isla
negotiated twice while on OPT and once on H1B transfer. it didn't hurt any of them. the sponsorship decision and the comp negotiation are handled by different people in different conversations. HR doesn't suddenly revoke sponsorship because you asked for 10k more.
visa_vik
that's really reassuring, thank you. i think i've been conflating the two because they both feel uncertain.
director_dee
hiring manager perspective: the sponsorship cost is already baked in when we make the offer. it's a sunk cost in the decision. we're not going to yank it over a reasonable comp counter. if anything, candidates who negotiate well signal that they know their worth, which is a good signal for a future team lead.
market_realist
the risk is low but not zero. if the offer is already competitive for the role and you push hard, some smaller companies do get cold feet. the move is to anchor on market data, not on what you "need" or what your current comp is. keeps it impersonal.
numbers_only
also worth knowing: the H1B prevailing wage is public record. you can look up what they're required to pay you by law for that role in that location. your ask should be above that floor, not near it.