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 South OKC News publication area submitted 159 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 97.5%.
While the Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings with 96 petitions, representing 60.4% of all submissions in the South OKC News publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Information industry, which accounted for 19 petitions and represented 11.9% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Information industry, 89.5% were approved and 10.5% were denied.
In 2024, the South OKC News publication area employer with the most petitions categorized under the Health Care and Social Assistance sector was Norman Regional Hospital Authority, which filed two petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Health Care and Social Assistance sector in the South OKC News publication area saw a 40% 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 | 96 | 60.4% | 99% | 1% |
| 2 | Information | 19 | 11.9% | 89.5% | 10.5% |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 8.2% | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| 4 | Manufacturing | 10 | 6.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 4.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Retail Trade | 7 | 4.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Construction | 3 | 1.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Oklahoma | Educational Services | 72 | 100% | 0% |
| PCI Energy Solutions | Information | 19 | 89.5% | 10.5% |
| The University of Oklahoma | Educational Services | 11 | 90.9% | 9.1% |
| Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. | Retail Trade | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Western Heights Public Schools | Educational Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Objectstream, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Airgo Systems, LLC | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Norman Regional Hospital Authority | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| William Velie Attorneys at Law, PLLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Nortek Air Solutions, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Accrue Select, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Oklahoma City Community College | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Orthodontic Specialists of Oklahoma, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Paul Ziert & Associates, Inc. | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Putnam City Schools | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Santa Fe South Schools, Inc. | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Southern Plains Medical Center, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Salvation Army | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Science and ARTS of | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Velie Law Firm, PLLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| White Hawk Engineering and Design, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| World Water Works, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| ZFI Engineering Company | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Alliance Steel, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Artemis Power Technician, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Climacool Corporation | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Climate Control Group, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Climatecraft, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Community Health Centers of Oklaho | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cooperation Ale Works, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Coreslab Structures Okla, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Corys Audio Visual Services, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Downing Wellhead Equipment, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| ERP Analysts, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Genetech Animal Reproduction, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ground Zero Emergency Training Center FDN | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Le Monde International School | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| M3 Technology Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Matbook, Inc. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mid America Christian University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mustang Public Schools | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Norman Regional Hospital Authority an Oklahoma Public Trust | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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