Which Residency Programs Sponsor J-1 and H-1B Visas? (Live Data)

The J-1 is the default, the H-1B is the exception

Most programs that take international graduates on a visa do it through the J-1, which ECFMG sponsors on the program's behalf. The H-1B makes the hospital the employer and the petitioner, with legal work and fees of its own, so far fewer programs offer it. If you need the H-1B, your list starts from about 15% of programs. If the J-1 works for you, it starts from about 70%.

Visa sponsorship by specialty

The highest H-1B rates are in smaller academic specialties. The largest number of H-1B programs is in internal medicine (93 programs), simply because it is so large. Transitional Year has the highest share of programs with no visa sponsorship (54%).

Specialties with at least 40 programs, sorted by H-1B rate
Specialty	Programs	J-1	H-1B	H-1B programs	No visa
Neurological Surgery	124	89%	31%	39	9.7%
Radiation Oncology	86	85%	31%	27	14%
Vascular Surgery - Integrated	84	88%	29%	24	12%
Child Neurology	84	98%	24%	20	2.4%
Urology	156	65%	24%	37	35%
Anesthesiology	194	77%	23%	44	21%
Interventional Radiology - Integrated	107	80%	21%	23	20%
Ophthalmology	130	65%	21%	27	33%
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation	117	70%	21%	24	29%
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics	80	93%	20%	16	6.3%
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery	133	71%	20%	26	29%
Public Health and General Preventive Medicine	40	60%	20%	8	38%
Plastic Surgery	47	79%	19%	9	21%
Radiology-Diagnostic	201	78%	19%	38	21%
Pathology-Anatomic and Clinical	143	92%	18%	26	7.7%
Dermatology	144	66%	17%	24	33%
Neurology	204	88%	17%	34	12%
Obstetrics and Gynecology	312	69%	17%	53	30%
Pediatrics	219	91%	17%	37	9.1%
Emergency Medicine	299	71%	14%	41	29%
Orthopaedic Surgery	216	57%	14%	31	43%
Plastic Surgery - Integrated	93	57%	14%	13	43%
Internal Medicine	702	76%	13%	93	23%
Surgery	367	74%	13%	47	25%
Psychiatry	361	69%	12%	44	30%
Family Medicine	818	50%	6.5%	53	49%
Transitional Year	219	45%	5.9%	13	54%

Share of programs in the specialty that list each visa for the current cycle.

University programs sponsor far more visas

85% of university-based programs sponsor the J-1 and 22% the H-1B, against 54% and 5.9% of community-based programs. Large academic centers have offices that handle visas every year for residents, fellows and faculty. Community programs often train more IMGs, but many of those residents are US citizens or permanent residents who studied abroad.

Share of programs sponsoring the H-1B, by program type

University-based (2,235 programs)22%
Community-based, university-affiliated (1,970 programs)11%
Community-based (953 programs)5.9%

For the full comparison of program types, including IMG share and competition, see community vs. university residency programs.

Where the H-1B programs are

The 10 states with the most H-1B programs
State	Programs	H-1B programs	H-1B rate
New York	575	113	20%
Pennsylvania	350	100	29%
California	530	82	15%
Massachusetts	158	66	42%
Ohio	276	61	22%
Illinois	233	47	20%
Florida	393	44	11%
Missouri	115	26	23%
Connecticut	82	25	30%
Minnesota	70	24	34%

How to use this

Filter first. Remove every program that cannot sponsor your visa before you look at anything else.
If you need the H-1B, plan to pass Step 3 early: many programs require it before they rank you.
Confirm each year. Visa policies change between cycles, and a short email to the coordinator settles it.
Never spend a program signal on a program that cannot sponsor you. Our IMG guide to program signals covers where signals count.

Sources

ResidencyPrograms.io program data for the current application cycle, as reported by programs, refreshed October 26, 2026. Programs that do not report a visa policy count as not sponsoring.
Current H-1B rules: USCIS. J-1 sponsorship: ECFMG.

Residency Visa Sponsorship by Specialty: J-1 and H-1B