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
For comparison, the nationwide average approval rate is 98%.
That year, the average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the U.S. stood at 98%, slightly higher than the 97.3% recorded in 2023. Statewide, employers in Illinois across all industries submitted 20,166 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 98.7%.
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 Health Care and Social Assistance industry led H-1B petition approvals in the Rockford Sun publication area during 2024, filing a total of 18 petitions (50% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry followed, with eight petitions (22.2% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 100%.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The employers that filed the most petitions in the area during 2024 included Swedishamericanhospital with six petitions and all of them approved, Rockford Health Physicians with four petitions and all of them approved, and Cleo Communications US, LLC and Crusaders Central Clinic Association with three petitions each.
Compared to 2023, Illinois saw a 9.1% 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 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 18 | 50% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 22.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Educational Services | 4 | 11.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Manufacturing | 3 | 8.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 2.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Retail Trade | 1 | 2.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 2.8% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swedishamericanhospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Rockford Health Physicians | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Cleo Communications US, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Crusaders Central Clinic Association | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| American Aluminum Extrusion Compan | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| RWS Design and Controls, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Xaba USA, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Surplus Management, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rockford University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rockford Radiology Associates, P C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rockford Public School District 205 | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Motivate Health, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Midwest Foundation for Orthopaedic Research and Education | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| MG Cloud Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Larson and Darby, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Edgebrook Dermatology, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Eb Books, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Code 1 Aviation, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Austriaco Dental Associates, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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