Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
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 Upstate SC News publication area submitted 123 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 99.2%.
While the Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings with 86 petitions, representing 69.9% of all submissions in the Upstate SC News publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, which accounted for 23 petitions and represented 18.7% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, 95.7% were approved and 4.3% were denied.
In 2024, the Upstate SC News publication area employer with the most petitions categorized under the Educational Services sector was Clemson University, which filed 84 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Educational Services sector in the Upstate SC News publication area saw a 21.1% 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 | 86 | 69.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 23 | 18.7% | 95.7% | 4.3% |
| 3 | Wholesale Trade | 6 | 4.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 3.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 2 | 1.6% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson University | Educational Services | 86 | 100% | 0% |
| Sysintel, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Tana Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 80% | 20% |
| Techtronic Cordless, GP | Wholesale Trade | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Anmed Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| TTI Consumer Power Tools, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Drive Automotive Industries of Ame | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| E and I Engineering USA Corporatio | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Keowee Primary Care & Internal Medicine | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Legacy Early College | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pack Iq, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Packiq, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Southern Wesleyan University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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