Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
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 South STL News publication area submitted 38 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 97.4%.
The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings in the South STL News publication area during 2024, with 27 petitions (71.1% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 96.3%.
The South STL News publication area employers with the most petitions categorized under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector during 2024 included Softdata, Inc., which filed six petitions with an approval rate of 100%, Softdata, Inc. with four petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Exegy Incorporated, which filed three petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector in the South STL News publication area saw a 30.8% 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 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 27 | 71.1% | 96.3% | 3.7% |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 2 | 5.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 5.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 2 | 5.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Educational Services | 2 | 5.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 2.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 2.6% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Softdata, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Exegy Incorporated | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Zetta Data Systems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Webster University | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Panera, LLC | Accommodation and Food Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 1st Phorm International, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Woodruff Communications STL D, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Application Engineering Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Unigroup C a | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Poppins Group, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tacony Corporation | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Solutions Aec, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bitrode Corporation | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Roeslein and Associates, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Psychcare Consultants Research | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Premier Strategy Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Donahue Chiropractic, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mccallum Group D B a Mccallum, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Marketing Com, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Language Access Multicultural People, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Introba, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Idea Architects, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| GS Advisors Plus Cpas, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Global Gateway Logistics, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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