Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate for USCIS | https://www.dhswatchlist.com/
Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate for USCIS | https://www.dhswatchlist.com/
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%.
Compared to 2023, the Accommodation and Food Services sector in the South Tidewater News publication area saw an 80% decrease 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 | 42 | 33.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 27 | 21.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Finance and Insurance | 15 | 11.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 7.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 4.8% | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| 6 | Information | 5 | 4% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 4 | 3.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4 | 3.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Wholesale Trade | 3 | 2.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Construction | 2 | 1.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 1.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 0.8% | 0% | 100% |
| 12 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 0.8% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City Public Schools | Educational Services | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| PRA Group, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Eastern Virginia Medical School | Educational Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Bayview Physician Services, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Sentara Healthcare D B a Sentara N | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Old Dominion University | Educational Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Greensville County Public Schools | Educational Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Murphy-Brown, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 80% | 20% |
| Prime Street, LLC | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Sentara Medical Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Trader Interactive, LLC | Information | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Children S Specialty Group, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Old Dominion University Research Foundation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of | Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Norfolk State University | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sentara Healthcare | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Groundworks Operations, LLC | Construction | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Franklin City Public Schools | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Schenker, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rvet Operating, LLC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Regent University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 1265 Fitness, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Smithfield Fresh Meats Sales, Corp. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Smithfield Packaged Meats Sales Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Southern Trust Mortgage, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Stihl Incorporated | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| SVT Robotics, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tangent Labs, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Titan America, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Union Fi Labs, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Virginia Wesleyan University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 3001 Atlantic, LLC | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Albemarle Physician Services - Sen | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Architectural Graphics, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Atlantic Diving Supply, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Behl Orthodontics, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bon Secours Medical Group Hampton | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Busch, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Chartway Federal Credit Union D B | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Chartway Federal Credit Union | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Chesapeake Bay Academy | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Chirag Patel CPA, PLLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Clark Nexsen, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Decisions, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hampton Roads Shipping Association | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas and Company | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Init Innovations in Transportation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kaufman & Canoles, P. C. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Map Communications, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Martha Jefferson Medical Group, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Photon Infotech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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