Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
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.
In 2024, the average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States stood at 98%, slightly higher than 2023's 97.3%.
The Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings locally during 2024, with 42 petitions (33.3% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Health Care and Social Assistance industry was the second largest contributor, filing 27 petitions (21.4% of the total), with an approval rate of 100%.
The South Tidewater News publication area employers with the most petitions during 2024 included Virginia Beach City Public Schools, which filed 13 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, PRA Group, Inc. with 12 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Eastern Virginia Medical School, which filed 10 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the South Tidewater News publication area saw a 24.6% 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 | Industry(ies) | 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, P C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Sentara Healthcare | Health Care and Social Assistance | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Old Dominion University | Educational Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Murphy-Brown, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 80% | 20% |
| Greensville County Public Schools | Educational Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Trader Interactive, LLC | Information | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Prime Street, LLC | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Sentara Medical Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Old Dominion University Research Foundation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Children S Specialty Group, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Norfolk State University | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Groundworks Operations, LLC | Construction | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Franklin City Public Schools | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Chartway Federal Credit Union | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of America | Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Union Fi Labs, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 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% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
| Virginia Wesleyan University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 1265 Fitness, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 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% |
| 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% |
| Decision, 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 and 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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