Are you authorized to work in the United States? Will you now or in the future require sponsorship?
Reported in ServiceNow USA engineering loops. Standard HR screening question at virtually every US tech employer.
Interview scenario
Often asked in ServiceNow on-site or virtual loops at US offices (Bay Area, Seattle, NYC, Austin, and remote US). Prepare a clear spoken answer plus key trade-offs.
Model answer
Try answering aloud first
Cover trade-offs, structure, and a concrete example before revealing the baseline response.
How to frame this at ServiceNow: Connect your answer to measurable impact, clarity of thought, and trade-offs the team cares about. Below is a strong baseline response you can adapt with your own project examples.
Answer truthfully and briefly. If you are a US citizen or permanent resident, state that clearly: "Yes, I am authorized to work in the US and do not require sponsorship."
If you need sponsorship (F-1 OPT/CPT, H-1B, etc.), say: "I am authorized for OPT until [date] and will require H-1B sponsorship in the future." Do not over-explain visa details unless asked.
If the role says "no sponsorship," decide early whether to apply. Some companies sponsor cap-exempt roles (universities, certain nonprofits) or have pre-approved pipelines.
Keep tone confident—authorization is one checkbox among many; pivot back to skills and impact quickly after answering.
Discussion
Comments (0)
Share how this question came up in your loop, or add tips for others preparing.
Log in to comment on this question.