Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/meet-the-dhs-digital-service-champions-may-2018-caee7dade2b
Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/meet-the-dhs-digital-service-champions-may-2018-caee7dade2b
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. It is designed to address skill gaps in the U.S. workforce while ensuring wage standards to protect both U.S. and H-1B workers. Employers must certify that they will pay H-1B workers wages equal to or greater than those of similarly qualified U.S. employees or the prevailing local wage.
The average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98%, slightly higher than 2023's 97.3%. Locally, employers across all industries located within the West RGV News publication area submitted 76 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.7%.
While the Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings with 50 petitions, representing 65.8% of all submissions in the West RGV News publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Health Care and Social Assistance industry, which accounted for 20 petitions and represented 26.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry, all were approved.
Compared to 2023, the Health Care and Social Assistance sector in the West RGV News publication area saw a 5.3% increase in the number of H-1B petitions during 2024.
The United States admits around 1 million legal immigrants annually, most of whom receive permanent residence (green cards) through family sponsorship or employment-based visas. In 2023, about 1.2 million immigrants were granted green cards, a return to pre-pandemic levels. Temporary visa programs, such as the H-1B for highly skilled workers and H-2A for seasonal agricultural workers, also play a critical role in filling workforce needs.
Public opinion on immigration varies, with 46% of Americans favoring maintaining current legal immigration levels, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey. Additionally, 42% believe that highly skilled workers, such as scientists, doctors, and programmers, should be prioritized for legal immigration, compared to 25% who prioritize workers filling labor shortages and 19% who emphasize family sponsorship. Despite this, family sponsorship remains the most common path to permanent residency, accounting for 63% of green cards issued in 2023.
The data in this article comes from the H-1B Employer Data Hub provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). While USCIS strives for accuracy, manual data entry and errors on paper forms submitted by applicants or petitioners may result in discrepancies in employer names, tax IDs, locations, or other details.
| Rank | Industry | Total Petitions | % of All Submissions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Educational Services | 50 | 65.8% | 98% | 2% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 20 | 26.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Information | 1 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas Rio Grande | Educational Services | 47 | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| Renaissance Medical Foundation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Renaissance Hospitalists | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Performance Therapeutics - Corpora | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Aptus Health Care, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Divine Children, Inc. | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Shalom Media USA, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rio Grande Valley Adult and Intern | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Renaissance Surgery Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Idea Public Schools | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Jem-D International Michigan, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Renaissance Gastroenterology | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Renaissance Endocrinology | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Renaissance Cardiology Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pharr San Juan Alamo ISD | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Knapp Medical Center a Non Profit Texas Corporation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pena Legacy Consulting, PLLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Palmer Steel Supplies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Padmini Bhadriraju PA, M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ophthalmic Consultants of Texas PA | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcallen Hospitalist Group D B, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcallen Community Healthcare, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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