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.
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 Nebraska News publication area submitted 73 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 100%.
In 2024, the SE Nebraska News publication area employer with the most petitions categorized under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector was Olsson, Inc., which filed five petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector in the SE Nebraska News publication area saw a 41.7% 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 | Finance and Insurance | 17 | 23.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 1 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 17 | 23.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 17.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Retail Trade | 8 | 11% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 6 | 8.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Public Administration | 6 | 8.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Educational Services | 3 | 4.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 1.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1 | 1.4% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameritas Life Insurance, Corp. | Finance and Insurance | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Spreetail, LLC | Retail Trade | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Nelnet Business Solutions D B, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Celerion, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Olsson, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Nebraska Med Center | Public Administration | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Bryan Physician Network | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Monolith Resources, LLC | Manufacturing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| The City of Lincoln, Nebraska | Public Administration | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Talent Plus, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ncee Labs, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| National Research Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Lancaster County School District 1 | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Jefferson Community Health Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Worldlawn Power Equipment, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Warren Memorial Hospital D B a FRI | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Upland Software, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Branchpattern, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bridgepoint Holdings NE, LLC | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Telesis, Inc. | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Companycam, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Fresh International Lincoln, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ro Youker, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Henderson Health Care Services, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nelnet Diversified Solutions D B a Nelnet Diversified Services, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nelnet Business Solutions, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Li Cor, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Loup Electronics, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Marble, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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