Does Southwest Airlines sponsor H-1B visas?
Yes — Southwest Airlines Co. filed 265 H-1B and E-3 labor condition applications that the US Department of Labor certified between 1 October 2023 and 30 June 2026, 40 of them in FY2026 (to 30 Jun). It also had 54 PERM labor certifications (the first step of most employer-sponsored green cards) certified in the same period.
Southwest Airlines Co.
- Certified LCAs, FY2024–FY2026
- 265
- Certified, FY2026 (to 30 Jun)
- 40
- Denied LCAs
- 1
- PERM certified
- 54
- Most-filed title
- Sr. Software Engineer
- Its median offered wage
- $149,781
- Employer state on filings
- Texas
- Distinct certified titles
- 58
Southwest Airlines H-1B filings by fiscal year
Labor condition applications decided in each US fiscal year (1 October to 30 September). FY2026 (to 30 Jun) covers decisions to 30 June 2026 only. Worker positions is the most workers the certified applications may cover, as declared by the employer, not a count of people hired. Some employers file blanket applications covering up to 100 positions each, which inflates this figure.
| Fiscal year | Certified | Certified, later withdrawn | Denied | Withdrawn | Worker positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 103 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 103 |
| FY2025 | 122 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 122 |
| FY2026 (to 30 Jun) | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Total | 265 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 265 |
What Southwest Airlines pays sponsored workers
Every labor condition application names a prevailing-wage level from the Department of Labor's wage survey: level I is entry level, II qualified, III experienced and IV fully competent. "No level" means the employer set the prevailing wage from another source, such as a private survey or a union contract. Counts are Southwest Airlines's 265 certified LCAs decided between 1 October 2023 and 30 June 2026 (FY2024–FY2026; latest decision in the data 30 June 2026). Wages are the offered "rate of pay from", annualised, not actual pay.
| Wage level | Share of certified LCAs | Certified LCAs | Median offered wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level Ientry | 0% | 0 | — |
| Level IIqualified | 5% | 12 | $105,997 |
| Level IIIexperienced | 8% | 21 | $127,878 |
| Level IVfully competent | 80% | 213 | $148,300 |
| No levelother wage source | 7% | 19 | $142,184 |
| All levels | 100% | 265 |
The most common level is IV (fully competent), at 80% of certified LCAs. Its median offered wage is $148,300 a year. The job-title table below shows the level mix for each of the 15 most-filed titles.
Southwest Airlines H-1B salaries by job title
The 15 most-filed of 58 distinct job titles on certified LCAs. Wages are the offered "rate of pay from" on each application, annualised (hourly × 2,080), not actual pay. "Middle 50%" is the 25th to 75th percentile. Under each title is the share of its certified LCAs at wage levels I to IV (shaded light to dark) and with no level.
| Job title as filedand its wage-level mix | Certified filings | Median wage | Middle 50% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sr. Software EngineerIII 2% · IV 85% · no level 13% | 62 | $149,781 | $140k–$150k |
| Sr. System EngineerIV 98% · no level 2% | 41 | $149,781 | $136k–$150k |
| Software EngineerII 33% · III 56% · no level 11% | 18 | $120,328 | $108k–$130k |
| Sr Technology AnalystIV 78% · no level 22% | 18 | $127,577 | $117k–$136k |
| Tech Lead Software EngineerIV 100% | 18 | $149,781 | $150k–$150k |
| System EngineerII 20% · III 50% · IV 30% | 10 | $116,979 | $111k–$127k |
| Solutions ArchitectIII 11% · IV 89% | 9 | $154,856 | $144k–$157k |
| Sr. Data EngineerIV 100% | 8 | $140,619 | $130k–$146k |
| Sr. Product OwnerIV 67% · no level 33% | 6 | $139,307 | $136k–$145k |
| Sr. DATABASE ADMINISTRATORIV 100% | 4 | $136,417 | $134k–$145k |
| Tech Lead Cloud DevOps EngineerIV 100% | 4 | $153,390 | $150k–$157k |
| Tech Lead Data EngineerIV 100% | 4 | $144,623 | $139k–$152k |
| Senior-System EngineerIV 100% | 3 | $139,464 | $128k–$145k |
| Sr Cloud DevOps EngineerIV 100% | 3 | $149,781 | $145k–$153k |
| Asst. Mgr. MXP ProgramsIV 100% | 2 | $143,999 | $140k–$148k |
Where the jobs are
Worksite state on certified LCAs (top 2).
| Worksite state | Certified filings |
|---|---|
| Texas | 264 |
| Illinois | 1 |
Visa classes
All LCA filings by visa class, any status. H-1B1 is for citizens of Chile and Singapore; E-3 for Australians.
| Visa class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 265 |
| E-3 Australian | 2 |
Does Southwest Airlines sponsor green cards?
It also had 54 PERM labor certifications (the first step of most employer-sponsored green cards) certified in the same period. A certified PERM application means the Department of Labor accepted the employer's labor-market test; the worker still needs an approved I-140 petition and a green card from USCIS.
| Fiscal year | Certified | Denied | Withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| FY2025 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| FY2026 (to 30 Jun) | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| PERM job title | Certified | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Sr. Software Engineer | 10 | $150,119 |
| Sr. System Engineer | 7 | $152,646 |
| Senior Software Engineer | 4 | $156,784 |
| Software Engineer | 4 | $128,860 |
| Senior Data Engineer | 2 | $142,229 |
| Senior Product Owner | 2 | $146,351 |
| Sr. System Engineer (Multiple Openings) | 2 | $132,933 |
| Systems Engineer | 2 | $140,463 |
| Assistant Manager | 1 | $164,190 |
| Digital Product Owner | 1 | $107,349 |
UK sponsor licence
We found no organisation with a matching name on the UK Home Office register of licensed worker sponsors (13 October 2026). A UK subsidiary trading under a different name may still hold a licence.
How to read these numbers
- An LCA is the first step
- Before filing an H-1B, H-1B1 or E-3 petition, the employer files a labor condition application (LCA) with the Department of Labor, stating the job, worksite and the wage it will pay.
- Certified is not a visa
- A certified LCA means the Department of Labor accepted the wage attestation. It is not an approved petition or an issued visa, and it does not mean the role is still open or that the employer will sponsor you.
- Counts are applications
- One LCA can cover several workers, and employers often file more LCAs than they use (for example for the H-1B lottery or a worksite change). Read the totals as a measure of sponsorship activity, not of hires.
Questions
Does Southwest Airlines sponsor H-1B visas?
Yes — Southwest Airlines Co. filed 265 H-1B and E-3 labor condition applications that the US Department of Labor certified between 1 October 2023 and 30 June 2026, 40 of them in FY2026 (to 30 Jun). It also had 54 PERM labor certifications (the first step of most employer-sponsored green cards) certified in the same period.
What does Southwest Airlines pay H-1B workers?
On its certified LCAs, Southwest Airlines Co.'s most-filed title was Sr. Software Engineer (62 filings), with a median offered wage of $149,781 a year and the middle half between $139,742 and $149,781. These are wages the employer stated on the application, not actual pay.
What wage level does Southwest Airlines file H-1B jobs at?
Most of Southwest Airlines Co.'s certified LCAs in FY2024–FY2026 were at prevailing-wage level IV (80%, median offered wage $148,300 a year). By level: level II 5% (12 filings, median $105,997); level III 8% (21 filings, median $127,878); level IV 80% (213 filings, median $148,300); no level 7% (19 filings, median $142,184). Level I is entry level and level IV is fully competent, in the Department of Labor's wage survey.
Does Southwest Airlines sponsor green cards?
It also had 54 PERM labor certifications (the first step of most employer-sponsored green cards) certified in the same period.
Is Southwest Airlines a licensed UK visa sponsor?
We found no organisation with a matching name on the UK Home Office register of licensed worker sponsors (13 October 2026). A UK subsidiary trading under a different name may still hold a licence.
Check any company, or get their live jobs tagged with sponsorship evidence.
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