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 Dakota Times publication area submitted 354 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.3%.
The Retail Trade industry led the H-1B filings in the Dakota Times publication area during 2024, with 127 petitions (35.9% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 78 petitions (22% of the total), with an approval rate of 94.9%.
Among local employers with petitions categorized under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector during 2024, Techvision Company stood out with 13 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, followed by Itprofound, Inc. with nine petitions and an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector in the Dakota Times publication area saw a 9.3% 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 | Retail Trade | 127 | 35.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 78 | 22% | 94.9% | 5.1% |
| 3 | Wholesale Trade | 41 | 11.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Educational Services | 38 | 10.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Information | 26 | 7.3% | 96.2% | 3.8% |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 16 | 4.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 1.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Finance and Insurance | 4 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Construction | 3 | 0.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 2 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2 | 0.6% | 50% | 50% |
| 12 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Buy Company, Inc. | Retail Trade | 132 | 100% | 0% |
| CHS, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 32 | 100% | 0% |
| Thomson Reuters Services, Inc. | Information | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Techvision Company | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 94.7% | 5.3% |
| Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 | Educational Services | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Itprofound, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Intermediate School District 917 D | Educational Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Dwaith Info Technician, Inc. | Information, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 88.9% | 11.1% |
| Oasys Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Dis | Educational Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| G Sol, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 85.7% | 14.3% |
| Patterson Companies, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Prime Therapeutics, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Lovingcare Nursing and Home Care S | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Cannon Valley Special Education Company | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Tecon Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minn | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Claritytek, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Symbiosis Consulting Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Sage Electrochromics, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Rahr Corporation | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Global Intellectuals, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ames Construction, Inc. | Construction | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Pointwest Technologies US, Corp. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Cadan Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Nicolette It Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Rabon Serivces Group, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Prudent Accountants, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Progressive Individual Resources | Information | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Reconserve of MN, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| RSVP and ACT, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Sanimax USA, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sigma Enterprises, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| SJ Computers, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Solar Informatics, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Johns Lutheran Church | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Sunlight Insurance Holdings, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tena Companies, Inc. | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Imagine Group, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Vivaquant, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Vocxi Health, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| West Side Community Health Service | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Academy of Holy Angels | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Alevar Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Beckhoff Automation, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Beckman Coulter, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bethel University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Castrejon, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Consulting Engineers Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| DTN, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Elite Infosystems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Entrust Corporation | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Faribault Foods, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Force America, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ironwood Electronics, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| KGP Telecommunications, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lake Region Manufacturing D B, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lovingcare Nursing and Homecare | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mano Engineering, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Master Builder Solutions Constructions Systems US, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercury Minnesota, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Midwestgirg Property Management, LLC | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Minnesota Perinatal Organization | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mom Brands Company, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Norsvin USA, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Northern Power Products, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nystrom Associates, Ltd. | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
!RECEIVE ALERTS
DONATE
Alerts Sign-up