How Much Does an Immigration Lawyer Make? The Real Numbers, the Grind, and Whether It’s Worth It
Immigration law is one of those fields that sits at the intersection of human drama and legal complexity — and it turns out, it pays pretty well too. But how much an immigration lawyer actually makes depends on a surprisingly wide range of factors: where they work, who they work for, how many years they’ve been at it, and whether they’re in the private sector or public interest space. This article breaks down the salary landscape for immigration lawyers across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, drawing on current data from credible sources. We look at entry-level salaries, mid-career earnings, and the upper end of the spectrum for experienced practitioners and partners. We also explore what drives the pay gap between different practice settings — Big Law versus solo practice, government versus NGO — and answer the questions people actually search for when they’re considering this career path.
Let’s Talk About the Job Nobody Romanticises Enough
Here’s the thing about immigration lawyers. They’re not the ones you see in legal dramas closing deals in glass towers. They’re not the courtroom gladiators arguing murder cases on prime-time TV. Immigration lawyers are doing something arguably more consequential — they’re the people standing between a human being and deportation. Between a family and permanent separation. Between a skilled engineer and the job of their lifetime.
And yet, when people think “lawyer money,” immigration doesn’t always top the list.
So let’s fix that. Because the reality of immigration lawyer salaries is more nuanced, more interesting, and in many cases more lucrative than you might expect. Whether you’re a law student trying to pick a specialisation, a professional considering a career pivot, or just genuinely curious — here’s the full picture.
What Does an Immigration Lawyer Actually Do?
Before we get to the numbers, a quick grounding. Immigration lawyers help individuals, families, and businesses navigate the immigration system. That includes:
- Visa applications (work, student, family, investor)
- Green card and permanent residency applications
- Citizenship and naturalisation
- Asylum and refugee cases
- Deportation defence
- Corporate immigration (helping companies sponsor overseas workers)
The work ranges from highly transactional — filling in forms, meeting deadlines, managing document checklists — to deeply advocacy-driven, like representing asylum seekers in tribunal hearings. The salary gap between those two worlds is significant, and we’ll get into why.
How Much Does an Immigration Lawyer Make in the United States?
Let’s start with the biggest market. In the US, immigration law salaries vary enormously depending on location, employer type, and experience level.
National Averages
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for all lawyers in the United States was approximately $145,760 as of May 2023 — the most recent comprehensive data available. Immigration lawyers specifically tend to cluster somewhat below the broader lawyer median, pulled down by the large number of practitioners working in nonprofit and public interest settings.
However, that average obscures a huge range.
| Experience Level | Approximate Annual Salary (US) |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (0–3 years) | $55,000 – $85,000 |
| Mid-career (4–9 years) | $90,000 – $140,000 |
| Senior / experienced (10+ years) | $140,000 – $250,000+ |
| Partner / firm owner | $250,000 – $500,000+ |
| Big Law immigration associate | $215,000 – $250,000 (first year) |
Note: Salary data reflects estimates based on BLS, Glassdoor, and Indeed listings as of 2024.
The Big Law Exception
If you land at a major firm — think Fragomen, Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL), or a Big Law firm with a corporate immigration practice — the numbers look very different. First-year associates at top firms can earn in the $215,000–$250,000 range, consistent with the Cravath scale (the informal benchmark for large US law firm salaries). Corporate immigration is in high demand from tech, finance, and pharmaceutical companies that regularly hire international talent, so top firms charge premium rates and pay accordingly.
Geography Matters — A Lot
Where you practise in the US shapes your salary as much as your experience level.
| City / Region | Average Immigration Lawyer Salary |
|---|---|
| New York, NY | $130,000 – $200,000+ |
| San Francisco / Silicon Valley | $130,000 – $210,000+ |
| Washington, DC | $110,000 – $180,000+ |
| Chicago, IL | $90,000 – $150,000+ |
| Houston, TX | $85,000 – $140,000+ |
| Rural / smaller markets | $55,000 – $90,000 |
Tech hubs like San Francisco and Seattle are particularly strong markets for corporate immigration lawyers, given the concentration of companies needing H-1B and L-1 visa support.
The Public Interest Reality Check
Here’s where I want to be honest with you. Not every immigration lawyer is chasing the Big Law salary. A significant portion of immigration attorneys work in nonprofit organisations, legal aid societies, immigration advocacy groups, and government agencies — and the pay reflects that choice.
Public interest immigration lawyers at nonprofits might earn anywhere from $45,000 to $75,000 annually, particularly in their early careers. Some federally funded legal aid positions cap out at around $60,000–$70,000 even for experienced attorneys, because the organisations simply don’t have larger budgets.
This isn’t a footnote — it’s a defining feature of the field. Many people choose immigration law precisely because of its social impact dimension, and they do so knowing the financial trade-off. That said, some immigration nonprofits in major cities have improved pay over the past few years in response to retention challenges.
How Much Do Immigration Lawyers Make in the UK?
Across the Atlantic, the picture is shaped by the UK’s own immigration system — particularly post-Brexit, which created a surge in demand for immigration legal services as EU nationals needed advice they’d never needed before.
UK Salary Ranges
| Experience Level | Approximate Annual Salary (UK) |
|---|---|
| Newly qualified solicitor (0–2 years PQE) | £28,000 – £45,000 |
| 3–5 years PQE | £45,000 – £70,000 |
| 7–10 years PQE | £70,000 – £100,000 |
| Partner / senior level | £100,000 – £200,000+ |
PQE = Post-Qualified Experience. Data based on The Lawyer, Legal 500, and recruitment firm salary surveys, 2024.
The London Premium
As in the US, geography is everything. London immigration solicitors earn substantially more than colleagues in other parts of the UK — often 20–40% more for comparable experience levels. A 5-year PQE immigration solicitor in Manchester might earn £55,000; in London, the same profile might command £70,000–£80,000.
Top-tier UK immigration law firms handling high-net-worth clients — investor visas, global talent routes, complex nationality law — pay at the higher end of the spectrum. Firms like Fragomen’s London office, Charles Russell Speechlys, and Kingsley Napley are among the better-known names in the space.
Canada and Australia: A Snapshot
For completeness, here’s a quick look at two other major markets.
Canada
Immigration consultants and lawyers in Canada are in strong demand, given the country’s ambitious immigration targets (Canada admitted over 471,000 permanent residents in 2023, the highest in its history).
| Experience Level | Approximate Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Entry-level | $55,000 – $75,000 |
| Mid-career | $80,000 – $120,000 |
| Senior / experienced | $120,000 – $200,000+ |
Note that in Canada, the immigration advice market is divided between lawyers (regulated by provincial law societies) and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs), who can provide many of the same services at lower price points — which affects lawyer earnings in the market.
Australia
Australia’s immigration law market has remained active, driven by skilled migration programmes and international student volumes.
| Experience Level | Approximate Annual Salary (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Entry-level | $65,000 – $85,000 |
| Mid-career | $90,000 – $130,000 |
| Senior | $130,000 – $200,000+ |
Sydney and Melbourne command premium rates; regional Australia pays less but often has more consistent, less competitive work.
What Actually Drives Salary Differences?
Let me break down the factors that matter most, because knowing these is half the battle when planning a career or negotiating a salary.
1. Employer type Big Law, private firm, boutique, solo practice, nonprofit, government — each has a completely different pay structure. Big Law pays the most. Nonprofits pay the least but often come with loan forgiveness programmes in the US.
2. Practice area within immigration Corporate immigration (helping companies move talent) typically pays more than individual client work. Asylum and refugee law, while enormously important, tends to pay less because clients often can’t afford high fees, so it’s predominantly nonprofit work.
3. Location Major global cities pay more. Full stop.
4. Business development ability In private practice, the lawyers who build their own client base — who can bring in work — earn significantly more than those who don’t. This is true across all legal specialisms but it’s especially pronounced in immigration, where referral networks and community connections matter enormously.
5. Language skills Genuinely useful here. Immigration lawyers who speak Mandarin, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, or other languages widely spoken by immigrant communities can access larger client pools and command premium rates in specific markets.
Is Immigration Law a Good Career Financially?
Here’s my take. Immigration law is not the highest-paying legal specialisation — that distinction tends to go to corporate M&A, private equity, and intellectual property. But it’s far from the bottom either.
If you go into corporate immigration at a major firm or build a successful private practice, you can earn very well. And the field has genuine job security — immigration isn’t going away, political headwinds notwithstanding, because economies need talent flows and families need reunification.
The real consideration is this: immigration law attracts people who care about the work. The emotional stakes are high. The clients are often vulnerable. The wins feel meaningful. And yes, the burnout is real — particularly in asylum work. But for practitioners who find the balance, it’s a career with purpose and reasonable financial rewards.
FAQs: Immigration Lawyer Salaries Answered
Q: Do immigration lawyers make more than general practice lawyers? A: It depends on the setting. In Big Law or specialised corporate immigration, yes — earnings can be on par with or above general practice averages. In public interest roles, immigration lawyers often earn less than general practitioners.
Q: Can immigration lawyers earn six figures? A: Absolutely. Mid-career private practice attorneys in major markets regularly earn six figures, and experienced practitioners in corporate immigration or as partners can earn well above $200,000 / £150,000 per year.
Q: Is there a difference between an immigration lawyer and an immigration consultant in terms of earnings? A: Yes. Lawyers (qualified solicitors, attorneys, barristers) generally earn more and can handle more complex legal matters. Immigration consultants or advisers operate in a more limited scope and earn less on average, though high-volume consultancies can be profitable businesses.
Q: What’s the job outlook for immigration lawyers? A: Strong. The BLS projects overall lawyer employment to grow 8% between 2022 and 2032, faster than average. Immigration-specific demand is driven by geopolitical events, corporate globalisation, and sustained migration levels globally.
Q: Do immigration lawyers in the UK earn more post-Brexit? A: There’s been increased demand for immigration legal services since Brexit, particularly for EU nationals and for businesses managing sponsor licences. This has put upward pressure on salaries in the UK market.
Q: What’s the highest-paid immigration lawyer role? A: Equity partners at major immigration law firms, or senior in-house immigration counsel at large multinational corporations, tend to represent the upper end — with total compensation packages that can exceed $500,000 in top US markets.
Q: Can you make good money as a solo immigration lawyer? A: Yes, but it takes time. Solo practitioners who build strong referral networks and serve underserved communities can earn $100,000–$200,000+ once established, but the first few years tend to be leaner while the client base grows.
The Bottom Line
Immigration law won’t make you a billionaire. But it can absolutely give you a comfortable, meaningful, and intellectually demanding career — with salaries that range from modest (in the public interest sector) to genuinely impressive (in corporate immigration and senior private practice).
If you’re drawn to this field, don’t let anyone tell you the money isn’t there. It is — you just have to be strategic about where you work, what clients you serve, and how you build your practice over time.
And if you’re already in immigration law? You’re doing vital work. In more ways than one.
Sources:
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- US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for Lawyers (May 2023 data): www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes231011.htm
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers (2022–2032 projections)
- Glassdoor — Immigration Lawyer salary data (United States, 2024)
- Indeed — Immigration Lawyer salary data (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, 2024)
- The Lawyer — UK Legal Salary Survey 2024
- Legal 500 — UK immigration law firm rankings and market commentary
- Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP — Associate compensation scale (publicly disclosed, 2024)
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — 2023 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration
- Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy — Corporate immigration firm profile and practice areas
- Law Society of England and Wales — Junior Lawyers Division Salary Survey 2023–2024
