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 Retail Trade industry led the H-1B filings locally during 2024, with 219 petitions (55% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 97.7%. Meanwhile, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 91 petitions (22.9% of the total), with an approval rate of 98.9%.
Among local employers with petitions during 2024, Lowes Companies, Inc. stood out with 219 petitions and an approval rate of 97.7%, followed by Trane Technologies Company, LLC with 31 petitions and an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the East Lake Norman News publication area saw a 16.2% 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 | Retail Trade | 219 | 55% | 97.7% | 2.3% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 91 | 22.9% | 98.9% | 1.1% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 56 | 14.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Educational Services | 13 | 3.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Wholesale Trade | 10 | 2.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Transportation and Warehousing | 2 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Construction | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Information | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry(ies) | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowes Companies, Inc. | Retail Trade | 219 | 97.7% | 2.3% |
| Trane Technologies Company, LLC | Manufacturing | 31 | 100% | 0% |
| Sas Info, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Clicksoft Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Intverse, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Industrial Technologies and Servic | Manufacturing | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Ingersoll Rand Industrial US, Inc. | Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Iredell Statesville Schools | Educational Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Unisys Infotech, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| American Tire Distributors, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Data Cloud Tek, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 80% | 20% |
| Arche Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Johnson C Smith University Incorporated | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Riese Cloud Tek, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Conversant Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Infoswift Software, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Structural Integrity Associates in | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Reacredence It Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Metrolina Greenhouses, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| I-77 Mobility Partners, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Software Pricing Partners, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Global Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Value Technology, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sid Tool Company, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Torqata Data and Analytics, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Racanelli Construction Company, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Profit Insight, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Proactive Dealer Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Power Probe Group, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pester USA, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| One Brick Technician, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nucleus Radiopharma, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Neighboring Concepts, PLLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nederman Corporation | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lucid Drone Technologies, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lake Norman Charter School, Inc. | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Iredell Memorial Hospital, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Iqmetrix USA, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Health Supply US, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Globalfaces Direct, Corp. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Colorid, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Carolina Beverage Group, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Biz Technology Solutions | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Badger Sportswear, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 2311 Racing, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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