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 Retail Trade industry led the H-1B filings locally during 2024, with 128 petitions (41.6% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 72 petitions (23.4% of the total), with an approval rate of 94.4%.
The Metro West Times publication area employers with the most petitions during 2024 included Staples, Inc., which filed 105 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, Wayside Youth and Family Support Network, Inc. with 35 petitions and an approval rate of 88.6%, and Bose Corporation, which filed 31 petitions with an approval rate of 96.8%.
Compared to 2023, the Metro West Times publication area saw an 8.6% 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 | 128 | 41.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 72 | 23.4% | 94.4% | 5.6% |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 41 | 13.3% | 90.2% | 9.8% |
| 4 | Manufacturing | 40 | 13% | 97.5% | 2.5% |
| 5 | Educational Services | 14 | 4.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Public Administration | 4 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Construction | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Utilities | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Information | 1 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry(ies) | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staples, Inc. | Retail Trade | 105 | 100% | 0% |
| Wayside Youth and Family Support Network, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 35 | 88.6% | 11.4% |
| Bose Corporation | Manufacturing | 31 | 96.8% | 3.2% |
| Source Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 30 | 96.7% | 3.3% |
| Framingham Public Schools | Educational Services | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| DPS Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| USR Parent, Inc. | Retail Trade | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| The TJX Companies, Inc. | Retail Trade | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Applause APP Quality, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Definitive Healthcare, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ab Sciex, LLC | Manufacturing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| CCL Label, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Advocates, Inc. | Public Administration | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Thrive Software Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| BJS Wholesale Club, Inc. | Retail Trade | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Sustainable Energy Advantage, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Arteriocyte Medical Systems DB, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Simply Dental Management, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Resurety, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Prismhr, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Marathonsoft, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| BPG Bio, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| DR Dental of Massachusetts, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Boston Technology Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| CQV Associates, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Trilio Data, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Alira Health Boston, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Dentist at Hopkinton, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Diamond Tofu, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Avant-Garde Solutions, Ltd. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Solect Energy Development, LLC | Utilities | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Saga Innovations, Inc. | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Healthdrive Corporation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Labtech, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pidc Construction, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Phosphorex, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
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