O-1A high salary: what counts and how to build it
Use if you have itUse it if your pay is clearly above others in your field.
Sai Veda
Approved for the O-1A twice. Updated October 2026.
You earn, or earned, a high salary or other high pay for your work. Contracts or other reliable records show it.
Based on 8 CFR 214.2(o)(3)(iii)(B)
My take
Use this one if your pay is already well above others in your role and city. It's mostly paperwork, and not something to build on purpose.
What usually counts
- Pay that is clearly above others in your role and city, compared with public wage data
- Equity and bonuses, when you have records
What usually does not count
- Average pay, or pay that is a little above average
How to build it
- Collect your pay records. Offer letter, pay stubs, tax forms and equity grants.
- Compare with public wage data. Find your role and city in US Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
- Save the comparison. Keep the numbers next to yours, with the source and the date.
Proof to save
- Offer letter and pay stubs
- Public wage data for your role and city
This is what worked for me, not legal advice. Talk to an immigration lawyer about your case.
Sources
Official rules this guide is based on. Check them, and ask your lawyer, before you file.