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.
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 149 petitions (48.1% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 98%. Meanwhile, the Health Care and Social Assistance industry was the second largest contributor, filing 98 petitions (31.6% of the total), with an approval rate of 98%.
The Nola Reporter publication area employers with the most petitions during 2024 included Ochsner Clinic Foundation, which filed 95 petitions with an approval rate of 97.9%, Tulane University with 85 petitions and an approval rate of 98.8%, and LSU Health Sciences Center, which filed 27 petitions with an approval rate of 96.3%.
Compared to 2023, the Nola Reporter publication area saw a 10.3% 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 | 149 | 48.1% | 98% | 2% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 98 | 31.6% | 98% | 2% |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 21 | 6.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Utilities | 15 | 4.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Finance and Insurance | 7 | 2.3% | 85.7% | 14.3% |
| 6 | Information | 4 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 2 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Accommodation and Food Services | 2 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Manufacturing | 1 | 0.3% | 0% | 100% |
| 9 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry(ies) | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner Clinic Foundation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 95 | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| Tulane University | Educational Services | 85 | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| LSU Health Sciences Center | Educational Services | 27 | 96.3% | 3.7% |
| Entergy Services, LLC | Utilities | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Xavier University of Louisiana | Educational Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Ecole Bilingue DE LA Nouvelle Orleans | Educational Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Lycee Francais DE LA Nouvelle Orleans, Inc. | Educational Services | 6 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| Cint USA, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Tai Engineers, LLC | Information, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Loyola University New Orleans | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| International School of Louisiana | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Hynes Charter School Corporation | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Advantage Capital Corporation | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Pan American Life Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| University of New Orleans | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 360insights USA, Ltd. | Information, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Dillard University | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Children S Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Adams and Reese, LLP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Baptist Community Health Services | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Trident Hospitality, Inc. | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Touro Infirmary | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Mumphrey Group in | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Beliv US, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Sugar Roots Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Thomas Community Health Center, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Spackman Mossop Michaels, LLC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sentient Digital, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Royal Engineers and Consultants, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rodco Worldwide, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Rentcheck Holdings, Inc. | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rasa Solutions, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Prokeep, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Perez a Professional Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane Conway Wise, LLP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Big Easy Gifts, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bruno and Tervalon, LLP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Buildlink, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nexabyte Dynamics, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| New Orleans Museum of ART | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Daimmy Enterprises, Inc. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Eurofins Analytical Laboratories, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| FCMD North America, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hyatt Corporation | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Focus-Vq, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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