As several major technology companies scale back foreign recruitment amid a tougher US immigration environment, NVIDIAa is charting a different course.
Federal labour filings show the artificial intelligence chipmaker increased its H-1B visa hiring during the first half of fiscal 2026, highlighting its determination to secure top engineering and research talent as competition in the AI sector intensifies.
The filings also offer a rare glimpse into the compensation NVIDIA is willing to pay to attract specialists across software engineering, chip design, AI research and leadership roles.
NVIDIA secured certification for approximately 1,200 H-1B positions during the first two quarters of fiscal 2026, up from roughly 1,000 certifications during the same period a year earlier.
The increase contrasts with trends at several of the technology industry's biggest employers. Google recorded about 2,200 approved H-1B hires during the second quarter of this year, down from approximately 5,100 a year earlier. Amazon's approvals also declined, falling from roughly 6,100 to 4,300 over the same period.
The figures suggest NVIDIA continues to invest aggressively in talent as demand for AI infrastructure and advanced computing systems accelerates worldwide.
NVIDIA chief executive Jensen Huang, who was born in Taiwan, has repeatedly highlighted the importance of global talent to the company's growth.
"Immigrants crucial to the company's mission."
The company has become one of the most coveted employers in technology, with its soaring stock price turning equity awards into a powerful recruitment tool. While H-1B filings disclose only base salaries and exclude stock awards, bonuses and other incentives, they still reveal the scale of compensation available at the AI powerhouse.
The salaries have been reported by Business Insider
AI researchers remain among NVIDIAa's highest-paid technical employees.
| ROLE | SALARY RANGE |
|---|---|
| Research Scientist | ₹99.37 lakh to ₹3.41 crore ($104,000 to $356,500) |
| Principal Research Scientist | ₹2.60 crore to ₹4.12 crore ($272,000 to $431,250) |
| Senior Research Scientist | ₹1.29 crore to ₹3.41 crore ($134,971 to $356,500) |
The company also pays heavily for experts designing next-generation computing systems and AI infrastructure.
| ROLE | SALARY RANGE |
|---|---|
| Architect | ₹1.26 crore to ₹3.41 crore ($131,362 to $356,500) |
| Principal Architect | ₹2.37 crore to ₹4.07 crore ($248,000 to $425,500) |
| Senior Architect | ₹1.41 crore to ₹3.41 crore ($148,000 to $356,500) |
| Solutions Architect | ₹1.33 crore to ₹3.41 crore ($139,235 to $356,500) |
| ROLE | SALARY RANGE |
|---|---|
| ASIC Engineer | ₹1.30 crore to ₹3.52 crore ($136,000 to $368,000) |
| Hardware Engineer, Electronics | ₹91.73 lakh to ₹2.97 crore ($96,000 to $310,500) |
| Product Development Engineer | ₹1.26 crore to ₹3.08 crore ($131,362 to $322,000) |
| Senior ASIC Engineer | ₹1.57 crore to ₹2.97 crore ($163,925 to $310,500) |
| Senior Mixed Signal Design Engineer | ₹1.56 crore to ₹2.97 crore ($163,494 to $310,500) |
| Senior Physical Design Engineer | ₹1.53 crore to ₹2.97 crore ($160,481 to $310,500) |
| Senior Verification Engineer | ₹1.30 crore to ₹2.97 crore ($135,907 to $310,500) |
| System Design Engineer | ₹1.51 crore to ₹3.08 crore ($157,857 to $322,000) |
| Test Engineer | ₹1.22 crore to ₹2.75 crore ($128,000 to $287,500) |
| Verification Engineer | ₹1.14 crore to ₹2.97 crore ($119,184 to $310,500) |
Software development and AI-focused engineering roles remain central to NVIDIA's hiring strategy.
| ROLE | SALARY RANGE |
|---|---|
| Dev Ops Engineer | ₹1.38 crore to ₹3.19 crore ($144,000 to $333,500) |
| Distinguished AI Algorithms Engineer | ₹2.94 crore to ₹4.50 crore ($308,000 to $471,500) |
| Principal Software Engineer | ₹2.53 crore to ₹4.07 crore ($264,514 to $425,500) |
| Principal Systems Software Engineer | ₹2.60 crore to ₹4.12 crore ($272,000 to $431,250) |
| Senior Network Infrastructure Engineer | ₹1.30 crore to ₹3.19 crore ($136,000 to $333,500) |
| Senior Software Engineer | ₹1.33 crore to ₹3.41 crore ($139,152 to $356,500) |
| Senior Systems Software Engineer | ₹1.33 crore to ₹3.41 crore ($139,152 to $356,500) |
| Software Engineer | ₹1.03 crore to ₹3.74 crore ($108,000 to $391,000) |
| Systems Software Engineer | ₹1.26 crore to ₹2.75 crore ($131,997 to $287,500) |
Management and leadership positions rank among the highest-paid roles disclosed in NVIDIA's H-1B filings.
| ROLE | SALARY RANGE |
|---|---|
| Architecture Director | ₹3.06 crore to ₹4.67 crore ($320,000 to $488,750) |
| Developer Relations Director | ₹2.94 crore to ₹4.50 crore ($308,000 to $471,500) |
| Hardware Engineering Director | ₹2.71 crore to ₹4.12 crore ($284,000 to $431,250) |
| Hardware Engineering Manager | ₹1.87 crore to ₹3.52 crore ($196,000 to $368,000) |
| Product Manager | ₹1.90 crore to ₹3.63 crore ($198,702 to $379,500) |
| Program Manager | ₹1.54 crore to ₹3.08 crore ($161,034 to $322,000) |
| Senior Manager, Systems Software | ₹2.60 crore to ₹4.12 crore ($272,000 to $431,250) |
| Software Engineering Director | ₹3.72 crore to ₹4.50 crore ($388,918 to $471,500) |
| Systems Software Manager | ₹1.76 crore to ₹3.41 crore ($184,000 to $356,500) |
The latest H-1B data indicates NVIDIA is continuing to hire aggressively across hardware, software, research and customer-facing functions despite a broader slowdown in foreign recruitment across the technology sector.
As companies worldwide race to build and deploy AI systems, the chipmaker appears determined to strengthen its workforce with highly skilled engineers, scientists and managers. The salary disclosures offer a snapshot of how much NVIDIA is willing to spend to secure the talent it believes will shape the next phase of the artificial intelligence boom.
Currency conversions are approximate, based on an exchange rate of ₹95.55 per US dollar as of 2 June 2026, and reflect base salary only. Stock awards, bonuses and other compensation are not included in the federal filings.
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