How to find a tech job in the United States as a Ukrainian or international candidate

The United States has the largest tech job market in the world, and most of the roles open to people outside the country are sponsored by large employers. This guide combines live data on current openings with the main 2026 work routes, so you can see both what is hiring and what it takes to be hired.

Tech jobs in the United States right now

The numbers below are calculated from the open vacancies on A1 and refresh with the database.

Seniority

Most requested technologies

Where the jobs are

Employers with the most open roles

Work routes for software and IT professionals

• H-1B. Your employer sponsors you; you cannot apply on your own. Registrations go into a lottery, and since the rule that took effect on 27 February 2026 the lottery is weighted by wage level — a higher offered wage level means more entries (Federal Register). Registration for fiscal year 2027 has already closed.
• The $100,000 payment. A presidential proclamation requires a $100,000 payment for certain new H-1B entrants. It was extended in September 2026 and runs until 21 September 2027 unless extended again, with national-interest exceptions possible (Federal Register). Ask any prospective employer how they treat it.
• O-1. For people with extraordinary ability, with an employer or agent as petitioner. It is not subject to the H-1B lottery, but the evidence bar is high (State Department overview).
• L-1. For intracompany transfers: you generally need to have worked for a related company abroad for at least a year within the previous three.
• TN is only for Canadian and Mexican citizens, so it is not an option for Ukrainians.

Further changes have been proposed — a new fee for cap-subject H-1B petitions, higher prevailing wage levels, and the end of the 60-day grace period after a job loss. Proposals are not law until finalised, so check the Federal Register or USCIS before relying on them.

Ukrainians in the United States

Temporary Protected Status for Ukraine is legally contested at the moment: the extension published in January 2025 runs to 19 October 2026, while advocacy groups argue that DHS missed a decision deadline so that status is automatically extended by six months. Do not rely on either date without checking USCIS directly. New applications under Uniting for Ukraine have been reported as paused since January 2025, so verify the current status before planning around it.

Working for a US company from outside the US

A US work visa is about working physically inside the US. Many companies hire engineers abroad as contractors or through an employer of record (EOR), so you do not need a US visa for work done from Ukraine or another country — but you must follow the tax and legal rules of the country where you live and work. Doing the work while in the US as a visitor is not permitted. Browse worldwide remote roles or remote roles in the US.

What the hiring process usually looks like

Expect a recruiter call, a technical screen, a coding or take-home exercise, and a final loop with system-design and behavioural interviews. Employers sponsoring visas will ask about your work authorisation at the very first call; being direct about it saves everyone time.

Facts checked on 1 October 2026 against the official pages linked in the text. Immigration rules change often — confirm the current requirements with the official source or a qualified adviser before you apply. This is general information, not legal advice.

Where the numbers come from: we collect open roles from company career pages every day and count them in our own A1 Jobs database. Figures in the tables refresh automatically, with no manual edits.