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.
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 Central Virginia Times publication area submitted 289 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.3%.
While the Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings with 206 petitions, representing 71.3% of all submissions in the Central Virginia Times publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, which accounted for 49 petitions and represented 17% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, 95.9% were approved and 4.1% were denied.
In 2024, the Central Virginia Times publication area employer with the most petitions categorized under the Manufacturing sector was Zenith Quest Corporation, which filed three petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Manufacturing sector in the Central Virginia Times publication area saw a 250% 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 | 206 | 71.3% | 99.5% | 0.5% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 49 | 17% | 95.9% | 4.1% |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 3.8% | 81.8% | 18.2% |
| 4 | Manufacturing | 7 | 2.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Utilities | 2 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Information | 2 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Virginia | Educational Services | 203 | 99.5% | 0.5% |
| Swift, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 23 | 100% | 0% |
| National Radio Astronomy Observato | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11 | 90.9% | 9.1% |
| The University of VA Physicians Group | Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Albemarle County Public Schools | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Zenith Quest Corporation | Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Apex Clean Energy, Inc. | Utilities, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| CFA Institute | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| SR Health Care Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 0% | 100% |
| S R Health Care Services, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Setty and Associates, Ltd. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Playful Learners Preschool, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| PS Fertility, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rivanna Medical, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| RMH Medical Group D B a Sentar, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Silverchair Science and Communicat | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Springbok, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Zenith Aerotech, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Legacy Foundation, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Vmdo Architects, PC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| V4 Development, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 2RW Consultants, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Agility Feat, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Agrospheres, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ampel, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Blue Ridge School Incorporated | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Built Biotechnologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| DR Lewis Weber and Associates | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Hillel Jewish Center at the University of VA | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hospice of the Piedmont, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Intelligent Platforms, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Investure, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Jocassee Quantative, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Journey Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Laser Thermal Analysis, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Millennium Software Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, PLLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Netforecast, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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