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
This represents an approval rate of 100%, which is higher than the average in Illinois across all industries.
That year, the statewide average approval rate for H-1B petitions stood at 98.7%, slightly higher than 2023's 98%. Across the publication area, employers across all industries submitted 36 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 100%.
For comparison, the U.S. reported an average approval rate of 98% in 2024.
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.
While the Health Care and Social Assistance industry led the H-1B filings with 18 petitions, representing 50% of all submissions in Rockford Sun publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, which accounted for eight petitions and represented 22.2% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, all were approved.
The employers that filed the most petitions in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector in Rockford Sun publication area during 2024 included Swedishamericanhospital with six petitions, Rockford Health Physicians with four petitions, and Crusaders Central Clinic Association with three.
Compared to 2023, the Health Care and Social Assistance sector saw a 20% increase in the number of H-1B petitions across Rockford Sun publication area 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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