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
This represents an approval rate of 98.5%, which is higher 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 Central STL News publication area during 2024, filing a total of 529 petitions (34.6% of all submissions) and receiving 515 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 97.4%. The Educational Services industry followed, with 340 petitions (22.2% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 99.1%.
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 Washington University in St. Louis with 334 petitions and 99.1% of them approved, Charter Communications, Inc. with 327 petitions and 98.8% of them approved, and Perficient, Inc. with 125 petitions filed and an approval rate of 99.2%.
Compared to 2023, Missouri saw a 4.4% 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 | 529 | 34.6% | 97.4% | 2.6% |
| 2 | Educational Services | 340 | 22.2% | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| 3 | Information | 335 | 21.9% | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| 4 | Finance and Insurance | 123 | 8% | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| 5 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 77 | 5% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 49 | 3.2% | 98% | 2% |
| 7 | Construction | 22 | 1.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 19 | 1.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 7 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Retail Trade | 4 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 2 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington University in St. Louis | Educational Services, Manufacturing | 334 | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| Charter Communications, Inc. | Information | 327 | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| Perficient, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 125 | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| Centene Management Company, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 117 | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| Amdocs, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 66 | 98.5% | 1.5% |
| World Wide Technology Holding Company, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 50 | 100% | 0% |
| Geminisoft Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 41 | 100% | 0% |
| SSM Health Care Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 37 | 100% | 0% |
| Telecom Technology Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 33 | 97% | 3% |
| Blueribbon Global Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 30 | 93.3% | 6.7% |
| Vintech Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 27 | 92.6% | 7.4% |
| Sovereign Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 26 | 100% | 0% |
| Climate, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Securenet Systems Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 73.3% | 26.7% |
| SSM Health Care St. Louis | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| MHM Support Services | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Mccarthy Building Companies, Inc. | Construction | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc. | Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Aclara Technologies, LLC | Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Arco Murray National Construction Company, Inc. | Construction | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Belden, Inc. | Manufacturing | 8 | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| Bunzl Distribution USA, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Omniskope, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| HPS Software Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Ammega US, Inc. | Manufacturing | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Keefe Group, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| SSM Health Care Corporation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Procom Consulting, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| The Principia, Corp. | Educational Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Sigma It, Corp. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Donald Danforth Plant Science Center | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ocelot Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 80% | 20% |
| Uhy Advisors Midwest, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Enterprise Holdings, Inc. | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Nextgen Information Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 75% | 25% |
| Schnuck Markets, Inc. | Retail Trade | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Bayer Cropscience LP | Manufacturing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Object Computing, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Navvis and Company, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Fairview Heights Med Group S C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Exegy Incorporated | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Advantage Sales and Marketing, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Ai Software, LLC | Information | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Bayer Research and Development Services, LLC | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Zetta Data Systems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| KPFF, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| BJC Health System | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ya Employee Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mortgage Neks, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Amitech Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Christner, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| American Radiolabeled Chemicals in | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Webster University | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mecs, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Pieriandx, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Graybar Electric Company, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Physician Groups L C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Alphainfosys, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Aggio, LLC | Information | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Penta Engineering Company, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ungerboeck Systems International, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Fontbonne University | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Empowerme Wellness, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Energizer Brands, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Pacifica Consulting Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercy Clinic East Communities | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ya Engineering Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Refratechnik North America, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Zodiac, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Premier Strategy Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pivto Digital Learning | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Paynecrest Electric, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Thru-Put Partners, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Washington University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Umi, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Poppins Group, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Gund Company, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Vetcare Partners, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Context Network | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Warson Capital Partners, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Telcobuy Com, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Stellar Elements, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Stanton Barton, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Louis Wholesale Foods, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Wenova, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| West County Cleaning Service, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Spogen Blotech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Woodford Homes, LLC | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sovereighn Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Smoljan Endodontics, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Woodruff Communications STL D, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Geotechnology, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Gatewood Wealth Solutions | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Gardner Capital Management, LLC | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Foursevens, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Enterprise Bank and Trust | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Engineering Software Research and Development, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Energizer Manufacturing, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| EJLC, LLC | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ega America, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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