Does CVS Health Sponsor H-1B Visas? CVS, Caremark and Aetna Entities, Roles and the OPT Path
CVS Health sponsors H-1B through several legal entities, from Caremark to Aetna, and the one on your offer letter tells you more than the brand on the job post.
Part of our guide to companies that sponsor H-1B visas.
Does CVS sponsor H1B? Yes, but not under one name. CVS Health's H-1B petitions are filed by separate legal entities, and in fiscal year 2024 the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub recorded 1,056 approvals across four of them: Caremark LLC, Aetna Resources LLC, CVS Pharmacy Inc and CVS Rx Services Inc (our sum of initial and continuing approvals). Only 173 were initial employment, the category an OPT graduate's first H-1B falls into, and all four are for-profit, cap-subject employers, so a first H-1B still runs through the lottery.
Status line, as of 2026-11-01: wage-weighted H-1B selection is in effect (since 2026-02-27); FY2028 registration is not announced (USCIS must give 30 days' notice); OPT unemployment limits are unchanged at 90 days on post-completion OPT, 150 in aggregate with STEM OPT. Proclamation 11069's $100,000 H-1B payment is in effect on paper but blocked, and the OPT fee rule is only proposed; the status table below gives the details.
Does CVS sponsor H1B? The short answer
CVS Health sponsors H-1B visas through separate legal entities. In FY2024 the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub recorded 173 initial-employment approvals and 883 continuing approvals across Caremark LLC, Aetna Resources LLC, CVS Pharmacy Inc and CVS Rx Services Inc. Most approvals were for people already in H-1B status, so new OPT hires are a smaller slice.
Two definitions make those numbers useful. An initial-employment decision is a petition for new H-1B employment, which is where an OPT graduate selected in the lottery lands. A continuing decision covers petitions for people who already hold H-1B status, such as extensions and amendments. Across the four entities, 7 petitions were denied out of 1,063 first decisions, a 99.3% approval rate for FY2024 (our arithmetic: approvals over approvals plus denials).
That rate shows an established immigration program. It does not tell you whether a given posting is approved for sponsorship.
Which CVS Health entity files H-1B petitions?
Four entities filed in FY2024, each tied to a part of CVS Health: retail pharmacy (CVS Pharmacy), the pharmacy benefits manager (CVS Caremark) and the health insurer (Aetna). All four show a Woonsocket, Rhode Island address, the company's headquarters. That is a mailing address: the Data Hub glossary says it "is not necessarily the beneficiary(ies) work location." Your worksite appears on the Labor Condition Application (LCA).
CVS Health H-1B filers, FY2024 (USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub extract; table as of 2026-11)
| Entity (employer page) | Business it is named for | Initial approvals (denials) | Continuing approvals (denials) | First decisions | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caremark LLC | CVS Caremark, pharmacy benefits manager | 72 (0) | 310 (1) | 383 | Largest CVS filer, mostly continuing |
| Aetna Resources LLC | Aetna, health insurer | 47 (0) | 265 (1) | 313 | Mostly continuing, some new hires |
| CVS Pharmacy Inc | CVS retail pharmacy | 14 (0) | 289 (2) | 305 | Almost all continuing |
| CVS Rx Services Inc | Pharmacy services | 40 (3) | 19 (0) | 62 (95.2% approved) | Mostly initial employment |
| CVS Shared Services Resources LLC | Shared corporate services | No FY2024 row | No FY2024 row | n/a | Check other years in the Hub directly |
Caremark, Aetna and CVS Pharmacy are dominated by continuing decisions, meaning petitions for people already in H-1B status. CVS Rx Services is the opposite: 40 of its 59 FY2024 approvals were initial employment, and it had the only initial denials among the four (3). For a new graduate, that pipeline of first-time hires is the one to study in the LCA file.
The Hub shows no job titles, so the second column describes the company, not the roles in its petitions. For roles, look up each entity's LCAs in DOL's disclosure data (steps below). Our USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub guide explains every column.
Why the entity on your offer matters
The petitioner on your I-129 and I-797 is a specific legal entity, not "CVS Health". The same entity signs your LCA and, on STEM OPT, your Form I-983 training plan, and its E-Verify enrollment is the one that counts. A move between CVS entities can require a new petition from the new employer, so ask the company's immigration counsel before an internal transfer.
Does CVS sponsor H-1B for pharmacists?
CVS entities file for new H-1B employment, but the Hub cannot show how much is pharmacist work. DOL's LCA disclosure file can: filter it by each entity name and look for pharmacist titles (steps below). Pharmacists also face two hurdles unrelated to the employer: state licensure and a shorter OPT runway.
Licensure. Pharmacy is a licensed occupation. Under 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(v), when an occupation requires a state or local license to fully perform its duties, the worker "must have that license prior to approval of the petition." The same paragraph allows approval on a temporary license, or under licensed supervision where the state permits it, and allows an approval of up to one year when the only obstacle is a technical requirement such as a Social Security number. How that fits your state board and exam dates is a question for the employer's immigration attorney.
No STEM OPT from the PharmD itself. Pharmacy (CIP 51.2001) is not on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List (the version we opened is marked "Last Updated: July 22, 2024"). Neighbouring codes are, including 51.2003 Pharmaceutics and Drug Design and 51.2010 Pharmaceutical Sciences. A PharmD graduate gets up to 12 months of post-completion OPT, which in the usual sequence covers one H-1B registration season. One narrow exception: USCIS's STEM OPT page says a student on OPT from a non-STEM degree "may be eligible to use a previous STEM degree from a U.S. institution of higher education", but the training must be "directly related to the previously obtained STEM degree". Whether that could fit a pharmacy job, and what CIP code is on your I-20, are questions for your DSO.
Role type. A pharmacist role requires the professional degree and a license, the kind of requirement the specialty-occupation test looks for, though each petition is decided on its own record. Technician and intern roles do not require that degree, so they are hard to support as H-1B jobs. Our pharmacist H-1B guide covers NAPLEX, state law exams and licensure timing against the lottery.
Does Aetna sponsor H-1B?
Yes. Aetna Resources LLC had 47 initial-employment approvals and 265 continuing approvals in FY2024, with one continuing denial and no initial denials. Aetna is a for-profit insurer, so it is cap-subject, like the rest of CVS Health.
Insurance analytics suits several degrees on the same DHS STEM list: Actuarial Science (52.1304), Data Science, General (30.7001), Business Analytics (30.7102), Biostatistics (26.1102) and Medical Informatics (51.2706). That matters because a STEM degree adds a 24-month extension and, usually, two more registration seasons. Our guide to insurtech and health insurance H-1B sponsorship covers the wider insurer field, the roles that qualify as specialty occupations and the cap-exempt bridge option.
Does CVS hire OPT students for tech roles?
CVS Health hires for technology, data and analytics roles across its businesses. Its careers home page (checked November 2026) does not mention visa sponsorship or work authorization, so each posting and its application questions are the real answer. Before you accept, confirm four things.
- Your unemployment clock. The SEVIS unemployment counter counts each day "without employer information" from your actual OPT start date: 90 days on post-completion OPT, 150 in aggregate with STEM OPT. See our guide to the OPT 90-day unemployment clock.
- E-Verify for STEM OPT. Search the legal entity on your offer in the E-Verify Employer Search; USCIS says it "updates the search tool daily."
- Who employs you. If a staffing or consulting firm places you on a CVS Health project, that firm is your employer for OPT reporting, the I-983 and any H-1B.
- The market. Per the BLS September 2026 jobs report (released 2026-10-02), health care added 17,000 jobs while total payrolls rose 29,000. Our hospital-system IT sponsorship guide explains when a hospital employer can be cap-exempt, the main alternative to a cap-subject employer like CVS Health.
How the H-1B lottery works for a CVS Health offer
Because every CVS entity is cap-subject, a first H-1B needs a lottery selection. Since 2026-02-27, the weighted selection rule gives a registration four entries at wage Level IV down to one at Level I. The level depends on where your offered wage sits against DOL's prevailing wages for the occupation and area, which you can look up in the OFLC Wage Search. Our wage-weighted lottery guide for new grads works through the odds.
What is in effect, proposed or blocked for a CVS Health candidate (as of 2026-11)
| Item | Status | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Wage-weighted H-1B selection | In effect since 2026-02-27 | Your offer's wage level sets your entries |
| FY2028 H-1B registration | Not announced | March 2027 is an expectation only; 30 days' notice required |
| $100,000 H-1B fee (Proclamation 11069) | In effect on paper; fee blocked | Not collected, per the USCIS I-129 page (updated 2026-10-30); a change of status granted inside the US was never covered |
| OPT fee rule ($70,000 initial, $30,000 each later recommendation) | Proposed; comments close 2026-11-09 | The school is the legal payer and may pass the cost on; it would reach only DSO recommendations dated 60+ days after a final rule |
| Ending the worker 60-day grace period | Proposed; comments close 2026-11-10 | The current 60-day grace period still applies to H-1B workers |
| DOL PERM suspension of eight named employers | In effect (announced 2026-10-08) | No CVS entity is named; it covers PERM, not H-1B |
Worked timeline: an analytics graduate at Aetna vs a PharmD at CVS
Both graduated in May 2026 and started OPT on 2026-07-01. Dates marked "expected" are not announced.
| Date | MS Business Analytics (CIP 30.7102, STEM) at Aetna Resources LLC | PharmD (CIP 51.2001, not STEM) at a CVS pharmacy entity |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-01 | Starts work; 31 unemployment days used of 90 | Starts work when state licensing rules allow; unemployment days count until then |
| March 2027 (expected) | Employer registers for FY2028 at the offer's wage level | Same, and in the usual sequence this is the only season inside OPT |
| From April 2027 (expected) | If selected, employer files an I-129 with a change of status | If selected, employer files an I-129; licensure must satisfy 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(v) |
| 2027-06-30 | OPT card ends; a STEM OPT I-765 filed before this date carries the 180-day automatic extension | OPT ends; cap-gap applies only if a timely cap-subject change-of-status petition is pending or approved |
| 2027-10-01 | H-1B starts if approved | H-1B starts if approved |
| If not selected | STEM OPT runs to 2029-06-30, covering two more seasons (expected March 2028 and March 2029) | OPT ends 2027-06-30; the F-1 60-day grace period still applies (the D/S rule is blocked by a federal court) |
USCIS's STEM OPT page still says USCIS "will automatically extend your employment authorization for 180 days" for a timely filing; the 2026-10-14 EAD rule did not change that. Cap-gap runs to April 1 of the fiscal year requested, or the petition start date if earlier. Your own I-20, EAD and notices govern, and your DSO should check your dates.
Does CVS Health sponsor green cards?
Green card sponsorship is a separate employer decision, made through PERM labor certification and an I-140; an H-1B history does not prove PERM support for your role. Filter DOL's PERM disclosure file (latest FY2026 Q3, on the OFLC performance page) by the entity's exact legal name; our PERM lookup guide shows how.
No CVS entity is among the eight employers DOL named on 2026-10-08 (Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini), and current PERM rules (20 CFR 656.17) still apply. As of 2026-10-21, DOL's FLAG processing page showed analyst review at January 2026 priority dates. In the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, the EB-2 India Final Action Date stayed at 2013-11-01 and EB-2 rest of world is 2025-04-01; USCIS requires the Dates for Filing chart for November I-485s, per its filing charts page, while consular cases always use Final Action Dates.
How to check CVS Health's H-1B record yourself
- Search the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub for each name: Caremark, Aetna Resources, CVS Pharmacy, CVS Rx Services and CVS Shared Services. The Hub says it covers FY2009 through FY2026 Q4 (checked 2026-11-01). Record initial and continuing approvals separately.
- Download the LCA disclosure file from DOL's OFLC performance page (latest FY2026 Q3), filter by the same legal names and note the titles, worksites and wages that repeat.
- Look up the wage level for your title and worksite in the OFLC Wage Search.
- Ask the recruiter in writing which legal entity would employ you and whether the role is approved for H-1B sponsorship.
- Search the E-Verify Employer Search for that entity if you will need STEM OPT.
- Ask about PERM separately and check the PERM disclosure file.
- Route the decisions correctly. Take OPT, STEM OPT and SEVIS questions to your DSO, petition strategy and eligibility to a licensed immigration attorney, and nonresident tax questions to a tax professional.
Common mistakes
- Searching only "CVS Health" in the Data Hub. Each filer has its own record.
- Reading the Woonsocket address as your worksite. The LCA shows where the job is.
- Treating continuing approvals as new-grad hiring. Only 173 of the 1,056 FY2024 approvals were initial employment.
- Assuming a PharmD gets STEM OPT. CIP 51.2001 is not on the DHS list; plan around up to 12 months of OPT unless your DSO confirms an earlier US STEM degree qualifies.
- Assuming a vendor's offer is a CVS offer. A staffing firm that employs you decides on sponsorship and signs your I-983.
- Repeating stale rumors. OPT unemployment is still 90 days (150 with STEM OPT), and the PERM suspension does not touch H-1B.
Frequently asked questions
Does CVS sponsor H-1B for pharmacists?
CVS Health entities file H-1B petitions every year, but the public data cannot show how many are for pharmacists. The USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub lists no job titles; DOL's LCA disclosure file does. Under 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(v), a pharmacist generally needs the state license before USCIS approves the petition, with limited exceptions. A PharmD (CIP 51.2001) is not on the DHS STEM list, so the PharmD itself gives no STEM OPT extension.
Does Aetna sponsor H-1B?
Yes. Aetna Resources LLC had 47 initial-employment approvals and 265 continuing approvals in FY2024 in the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub. It is a for-profit insurer, so a first H-1B goes through the wage-weighted lottery (in effect since 2026-02-27), and FY2028 registration is not announced as of 2026-11-01.
Which CVS Health entity files H-1B petitions?
In FY2024 the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub shows four CVS Health filers: Caremark LLC (383 first decisions), Aetna Resources LLC (313), CVS Pharmacy Inc (305) and CVS Rx Services Inc (62). CVS Shared Services Resources LLC has no FY2024 row. The petitioner named on your offer, LCA and I-797 is the entity whose record matters.
Does CVS hire OPT students for tech roles?
CVS Health hires for technology, data and analytics roles, but its careers home page (checked November 2026) says nothing about visa sponsorship, so read each posting. As of 2026-11-01 OPT allows 90 days of unemployment (150 in aggregate with STEM OPT), and STEM OPT requires an E-Verify employer and a Form I-983.
Does CVS Health sponsor green cards?
Its H-1B record does not answer that. Green card sponsorship runs through PERM labor certification, a separate employer decision, so filter DOL's PERM disclosure file (latest FY2026 Q3) by the entity's exact legal name and ask the recruiter about your role. No CVS entity is among the eight employers in DOL's PERM suspension announced 2026-10-08, and PERM rules are unchanged as of 2026-11-01.
Sources
- USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub and its glossary page
- USCIS, Form I-129
- USCIS, STEM OPT extension
- USCIS, adjustment of status filing charts
- Federal Register, weighted selection final rule
- 8 CFR 214.2 (Cornell LII)
- DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List (ICE)
- Study in the States, SEVIS unemployment counter
- DOL OFLC performance data (LCA and PERM disclosure files)
- DOL FLAG processing times and OFLC Wage Search
- E-Verify Employer Search
- BLS Employment Situation, September 2026
How we checked this: FY2024 entity figures come from the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub extract behind our employer pages; we read the DHS STEM list, 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(v) and the USCIS, DOL, BLS, E-Verify and CVS Health careers pages linked above on 2026-11-01 and 2026-11-02.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice; your own I-20, EAD, I-797 and I-94 govern, and your DSO or a licensed immigration attorney should review your specific dates.
CVS Health is a realistic target if your degree fits the role and you research the right entity. If you want help building a target list across CVS, Caremark, Aetna and other healthcare sponsors, F1Jobs can work through it with you.
Frequently asked questions
Does CVS sponsor H-1B for pharmacists?
CVS Health entities file H-1B petitions every year, but the public data cannot show how many are for pharmacists. The USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub lists no job titles; DOL's LCA disclosure file does. Under 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(v), a pharmacist generally needs the state license before USCIS approves the petition, with limited exceptions. A PharmD (CIP 51.2001) is not on the DHS STEM list, so the PharmD itself gives no STEM OPT extension.
Does Aetna sponsor H-1B?
Yes. Aetna Resources LLC had 47 initial-employment approvals and 265 continuing approvals in FY2024 in the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub. It is a for-profit insurer, so a first H-1B goes through the wage-weighted lottery (in effect since 2026-02-27), and FY2028 registration is not announced as of 2026-11-01.
Which CVS Health entity files H-1B petitions?
In FY2024 the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub shows four CVS Health filers, Caremark LLC (383 first decisions), Aetna Resources LLC (313), CVS Pharmacy Inc (305) and CVS Rx Services Inc (62). CVS Shared Services Resources LLC has no FY2024 row. The petitioner named on your offer, LCA and I-797 is the entity whose record matters.
Does CVS hire OPT students for tech roles?
CVS Health hires for technology, data and analytics roles, but its careers home page (checked November 2026) says nothing about visa sponsorship, so read each posting. As of 2026-11-01 OPT allows 90 days of unemployment (150 in aggregate with STEM OPT), and STEM OPT requires an E-Verify employer and a Form I-983.
Does CVS Health sponsor green cards?
Its H-1B record does not answer that. Green card sponsorship runs through PERM labor certification, a separate employer decision, so filter DOL's PERM disclosure file (latest FY2026 Q3) by the entity's exact legal name and ask the recruiter about your role. No CVS entity is among the eight employers in DOL's PERM suspension announced 2026-10-08, and PERM rules are unchanged as of 2026-11-01.