i see a lot of fear in international communities about negotiating. some of it is warranted. a lot of it isn't. let me try to separate fact from anxiety.
what's true: H1B LCA (Labor Condition Application) specifies a minimum wage the company must pay. this is a floor, not a ceiling. you can negotiate above the LCA wage. companies do this all the time. the LCA wage is often the "prevailing wage" for the role at that location, which can be close to market, but isn't always. nothing about H1B or OPT legally prevents you from negotiating comp.
what the fear is usually about: not the law. it's the perceived power imbalance. "they're sponsoring my visa, i can't push back." but this logic misunderstands the relationship. if they're offering sponsorship, they want you specifically. they've decided you're worth the cost and paperwork. that's leverage, not debt.
practical things that change slightly on visa: you probably can't drag out the decision as long. your OPT or H1B cap-gap timing may create real constraints. know your dates before negotiating. if you're H1B and transferring: make sure the offer letter is in hand before your current employer is notified. the sponsorship gap risk is real. location flexibility is limited by LCA, which is location-specific. if you want to negotiate remote from a different state, the comp floor may differ.
what i actually did: got an offer for a mid-level SWE role at $155k. asked for $170k citing levelsdata for the role/city. got $163k plus a $15k sign-on. recruiter did not blink. nobody said anything about my visa.
don't pre-negotiate against yourself. most of the constraints you think visa creates are in your head, not in the law.