Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
This represents an approval rate of 97.4%, which is lower than the nationwide average.
That year, the average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the U.S. stood at 98%, slightly higher than the 97.3% recorded in 2023. Statewide, employers in Missouri across all industries submitted 4,323 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 98%.
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 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led H-1B petition approvals in the South STL News publication area during 2024, filing a total of 27 petitions (71.1% of all submissions) and receiving 26 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 96.3%. The Manufacturing industry followed, with two petitions (5.3% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 100%.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The employers that filed the most petitions in the area during 2024 included Softdata, Inc. with 10 petitions and all of them approved, Exegy Incorporated with three petitions and all of them approved, and Zetta Data Systems, LLC, Webster University and Panera, LLC with two petitions each.
Compared to 2023, Missouri saw a 36.2% 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, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Marketing Com, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Language Access for Multicultural People Lamp | 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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