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 Athens Reporter publication area submitted 166 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 97.6%.
While the Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings with 96 petitions, representing 57.8% of all submissions in the Athens Reporter publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Manufacturing industry, which accounted for 31 petitions and represented 18.7% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Manufacturing industry, 96.8% were approved and 3.2% were denied.
Among local employers with petitions categorized under the Retail Trade sector during 2024, Barnett Shoals, Inc. stood out with two petitions and an approval rate of 50%, followed by Aly USA, LLC with one petition and an approval rate of 0%.
Compared to 2023, the Retail Trade sector in the Athens Reporter publication area saw an 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 | 57.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 31 | 18.7% | 96.8% | 3.2% |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 29 | 17.5% | 96.6% | 3.4% |
| 4 | Retail Trade | 3 | 1.8% | 33.3% | 66.7% |
| 5 | Information | 1 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Construction | 1 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Georgia Oge | Manufacturing, Educational Services | 85 | 100% | 0% |
| Piedmont Athens Regional Medical C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 26 | 100% | 0% |
| SK Battery America, Inc. | Manufacturing | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Clarke County School District | Educational Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| The University of Georgia Oge | Educational Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Havix Group D B a Aavis Pharma, Inc. | Manufacturing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| PBR, Inc. | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Barnett Shoals, Inc. | Retail Trade | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Enchem America, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hailo Wind Systems USA, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Marys Medical Group, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Zalkin Americas, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Vicon Construction, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Southsuite, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Resilux America | Manufacturing | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Og Chemical, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nicolon Corporation | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Modern Market Master, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| MMW, Ltd. | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Havix Group, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Beck Tennis Academy, Inc. | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Athens Area Internal Medicine, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Armentrout Matheny Thurmond, P C | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Aly USA, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 0% | 100% |
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