Little-Trash-5578's journey

I'm an early-career biotech graduate with nearly three years of work authorization remaining on my OPT and STEM OPT. I've been actively applying for roles in the biotech field, specifically targeting positions that align with my experience in NGS at a major core facility. Despite my qualifications, I keep facing challenges related to work sponsorship. Many companies explicitly state 'no sponsorship' in their job descriptions, which prevents my resume from even being considered. Even when I find a role that seems like a perfect fit, I often get screened out during the initial stages simply because of the sponsorship question. For instance, I recently had a screening with a large pharmaceutical company for a role that matched my resume closely. Unfortunately, I didn't progress past the first question about work authorization. The recruiter explained that the company does not sponsor candidates at the entry-level title I am targeting, even though I might be in a different position two years from now. She encouraged me to keep applying for similar roles, but it feels like a dead end. I've been strategic in my job search—tailoring my applications, networking, and doing everything right on my end, yet I keep hitting this wall. My theory is that companies might be avoiding sponsorship for entry-level positions due to H-1B wage floor requirements, making it economically unattractive to sponsor even strong candidates. I'm also wondering if companies are becoming more cautious about hiring OPT/STEM OPT candidates in light of current immigration policy uncertainties. I'm reaching out to see if anyone has navigated this situation, especially from the perspective of recruiters or hiring managers. I'm feeling a bit lost and would appreciate any insights.