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.
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 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings locally during 2024, with 208 petitions (51.4% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 95.7%. Meanwhile, the Educational Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 80 petitions (19.8% of the total), with an approval rate of 98.8%.
The Capital District Times publication area employers with the most petitions during 2024 included Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which filed 32 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, New York Independent System Operator with 31 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Sligo Software Solutions, Inc., which filed 22 petitions with an approval rate of 90.9%.
Compared to 2023, the Capital District Times publication area saw a 16.7% 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 | 208 | 51.4% | 95.7% | 4.3% |
| 2 | Educational Services | 80 | 19.8% | 98.8% | 1.3% |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 39 | 9.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Utilities | 31 | 7.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Finance and Insurance | 14 | 3.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 12 | 3% | 91.7% | 8.3% |
| 7 | Public Administration | 4 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 4 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Construction | 3 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Information | 3 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry(ies) | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Educational Services | 32 | 100% | 0% |
| New York Independent System Operator | Utilities | 31 | 100% | 0% |
| Sligo Software Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 22 | 90.9% | 9.1% |
| Curia Global, Inc. | Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 18 | 94.4% | 5.6% |
| Albany Medical Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| Research Foundation for the State University of New York | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 18 | 94.4% | 5.6% |
| Panha Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 17 | 88.2% | 11.8% |
| State University of New York at Buffalo | Educational Services | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| CHA Consulting, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Health Research, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11 | 90.9% | 9.1% |
| Vassar Brothers Medical Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Wafts Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Atec Group | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Marys Healthcare | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Knowledge Builders, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Albany Medical College | Educational Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Action Studio, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Plug Power, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Bestpegasus, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Capital District Physicians Health Plan, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Siena College | Educational Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ryali Associates, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Atlantis It Consulting Group, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Union College | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| American National Group Services L | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Atom Finance, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Bits and Bytes Technology Solution | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Technology Professionals Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Regenerative Research Foundation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| New York Ehealth Collaborative | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Nyserda | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mir Scientific, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Momentive Performance Materials USA, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Project P Holdings, LLC | Retail Trade | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hysphere, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Pride and Joy International, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Nuvalence, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| MVP Consulting Plus, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Salderz, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| MVP Service, Corp. | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Creighton Manning Engineering, LLP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Currier Mccabe Associates, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Distributed Solar Development, LLC | Construction | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District | Educational Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| St. Peter S Health Partners Medical Associates, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Excelsior University | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Albany Leadership Charter High School for Girls | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Genesys Consulting Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Technician Charter School | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Xchangeworx, Inc. | Public Administration | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Utech Products, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Universal Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tonoga, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tel Technology Center America, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tejharsh, Inc. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Polymorph Associates, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Qualisoft Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Redburn Infrastructure, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Staffing Solutions Organization, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Staffez Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| SSG Global, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Research Foundation of Suny at Buffalo | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| RSV Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| South Col Engineering, P C | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Schenectady City School District | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Schonwetter Enterprises, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Firstlight Fiber, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Envirospec Engineering, PLLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Environmental Advocates NY, Inc. | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Empirean, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Empire State Youth Orchestra, Inc. | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ellis Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Dumbstruck, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cyber Castellum Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| County of Albany Albany County | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cooperative Extension Association | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Commercial Lending Advisors, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Commerce Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bela Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Alpha Technician Systems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Albany Law School of Union University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Accord Software, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Academy of the Holy Names | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Philips Medical Systems Mr, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| North Colonie Central School District | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Myforest Foods Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Marras Pharma, Corp. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Malaya Services Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Latham Pool Products, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Laberge Engineering and Consulting | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kings Celia Home and Park Improvements Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| James Mcguinness and Associates in | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Integraled, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Infoed International, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Indus, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hyman Hayes Associates Architects | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Housing Trust Fund, Corp. | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hoosac School | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Room Physical Therapy, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Fund Solutions LLC, GP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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