Project Manager at IBM — H-1B Wage Level, PERM Record & Green Card Timeline
By Pinal Dave | Last updated: 2026-08-03
A Project Manager hired by IBM in the U.S. on an H-1B typically follows the same modeled path: IBM files an LCA at a specific DOL wage level, USCIS adjudicates the H-1B petition, IBM later files a PERM labor certification, and the applicant's chargeability country determines the Visa Bulletin wait before I-485 filing. Based on FY2025 DOL OFLC disclosure data, IBM certified 2,613-3,095 LCAs (source reports both figures) with an average proffered wage of $148,602 against an average certified prevailing wage of $126,261 — offered wage runs 17.7% above prevailing. Project Manager is a directly disclosed IBM LCA title (284 positions).
| Metric | IBM |
|---|---|
| Certified LCAs (FY2025) | 2,613-3,095 |
| Average H-1B proffered wage | $148,602 |
| Average certified prevailing wage | $126,261 |
| Top disclosed job titles | Application Developer (1,915), Package Consultant (638), Application Architect (480), Test Specialist (285), Project Manager (284) |
| Top worksites | Atlanta, GA (649), Durham, NC (549), Dallas, TX (384), San Jose, CA (381) |
| PERM labor certifications filed | 304 |
| FY2025 initial-employment approvals | 501 (down from 1,348 in FY2024) |
| FY2025 denial rate | 1% |
Sources: DOL OFLC LCA disclosure data (via myvisajobs.com), FY2025; DOL OFLC PERM disclosure data (via tryalma.com), FY2024 (national median 472 days); USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub via NFAP Nov 2025 (IBM ranked 18th-largest H-1B sponsor overall); U.S. Dept of State August 2026 Visa Bulletin; USCIS processing times via manifestlaw.com, July 2026. Data as of 2026-08-03.
Visa Bulletin (August 2026): EB-2 India Unavailable (U) / China Sept 1 2021 / ROW Current. EB-3 India Jan 1 2014 / China Jan 1 2022 / ROW Sept 1 2024.
USCIS processing times: I-140 ~3.7 months median regular (15 business days premium); I-485 employment-based 8.5–36.5 months (P80).
Modeled timeline: Offer & LCA (Day 0-7, $148,602 avg) → H-1B petition adjudicated 1-6 months (IBM's FY2025 denial rate ~1%) → PERM certification, national median ~472 days (IBM's individual audit rate not disclosed) → I-140 filed, ~3.7 months → priority date must clear Visa Bulletin cutoffs above → I-485 filed once current, 8.5-36.5 months.
Sibling pages: Project Manager at Infosys, Project Manager at Wipro, Project Manager at Accenture, Business Analyst at Infosys.
FAQs
Q: Does IBM sponsor H-1B visas for Project Manager roles? Yes — 284 Project Manager LCAs disclosed directly among IBM's FY2025 filings, alongside 2,613-3,095 total certified LCAs.
Q: What does IBM pay a Project Manager on H-1B? Company-wide average H-1B wage $148,602 vs. average prevailing wage $126,261 (17.7% gap); actual pay depends on wage level and metro.
Q: How long does the green card process take after a Project Manager offer from IBM? National PERM median ~472 days, I-140 ~3.7 months, then Visa Bulletin wait by chargeability; IBM filed 304 PERM cases in the period reviewed.
Q: Is IBM an H-1B-dependent employer? Not flagged as H-1B-dependent in the profile reviewed.
Q: What is IBM's H-1B denial rate? 1% in FY2025 per NFAP/USCIS figures, below the 2.8% national average.
Q: Does the EB-2/EB-3 choice change the wait for a Project Manager at IBM? Often yes — EB-3 India is ahead of EB-2 India in the current Visa Bulletin.
VisaSherpa.ai's AI immigration planner builds your personalized version of this timeline.
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