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/
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 SE Minnesota News publication area submitted 632 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.3%.
While the Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings with 419 petitions, representing 66.3% of all submissions in the SE Minnesota News publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, which accounted for 128 petitions and represented 20.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, 96.1% were approved and 3.9% were denied.
The SE Minnesota News publication area employers with the most petitions categorized under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector during 2024 included Sagitec Solutions, LLC, which filed 63 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, Nihilent, Inc. with 14 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Techvision Company, which filed 13 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector in the SE Minnesota News publication area saw a 13.3% 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 | 419 | 66.3% | 99.3% | 0.7% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 128 | 20.3% | 96.1% | 3.9% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 33 | 5.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Information | 21 | 3.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 15 | 2.4% | 80% | 20% |
| 6 | Finance and Insurance | 5 | 0.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Public Administration | 2 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 1 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayo Clinic | Educational Services | 393 | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| Sagitec Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 65 | 100% | 0% |
| Cargill Incorporated | Manufacturing, Finance and Insurance | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| Thomson Reuters Services, Inc. | Information | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Techvision Company | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 94.7% | 5.3% |
| Nihilent, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Minnesota State University Mankato | Educational Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| International Quality Homecare Corporation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 50% | 50% |
| University of Minnesota | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Community School of Excellence | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Fairview Health Services | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Rochester Math and Science Academy | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Blue Water Financial Technologies | Information, Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Pace Analytical Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcneilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Vyriad, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Wilson Law Group, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Independent School District 2752 | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Imanis Life Sciences, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Horton, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hormel Foods Corporate Services LL | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Frontage Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Xylo Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Community Action Partnership | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Contreras Edin Law PA | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Crenlo Cab Products, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Fountane, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Monarch Healthcare Management, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| City of Mankato | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Centracare Health Sys NR, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Region Nine Development Commission | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Center for Earth Energy & Democracy | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Brevity Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sejong Academy of Minnesota | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Talent Technical Services | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bolton and Menk, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Blaze Credit Union | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Trbhi, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Trustees of the Hamline University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Anderson Dahlen, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Amherst H Wilder Foundation | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Wallin Education Partners | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Agency Squid, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Agcode, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Esse Law, PLLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Garda Capital Partners LP | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Goodwill Easter Seals MN | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hiawatha Leadership Academy | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Devenish Nutrition, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| I S Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cooperative Response Center, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Independent School District No 236 | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Integrated Health Group | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| KFI Engineers, PC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mami Minnesota | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Consulting Engineers Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Minnehaha Academy | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Colder Products Company | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mom Brands Company, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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