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/
This represents an approval rate of 97%, which is lower than the nationwide average.
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 Florida across all industries submitted 9,845 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 97.1%.
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 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led H-1B petition approvals in the NC Florida News publication area during 2024, filing a total of 30 petitions (45.5% of all submissions) and receiving 29 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 96.7%. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry followed, with 10 petitions (15.2% 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 Golok Global, Inc. with nine petitions and all of them approved, Exactech, Inc. with five petitions and all of them approved, and Tower Hill Insurance Group, LLC and Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinics, Inc. with four petitions each.
Compared to 2023, Florida saw a 33.3% 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 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 30 | 45.5% | 96.7% | 3.3% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 15.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Finance and Insurance | 6 | 9.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 6 | 9.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Educational Services | 4 | 6.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Retail Trade | 3 | 4.5% | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 2 | 3% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Construction | 2 | 3% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2 | 3% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Information | 1 | 1.5% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golok Global, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Exactech, Inc. | Manufacturing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Tower Hill Insurance Group, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinics, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Florida | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Walker Architects, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| SDR Engineering, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Myra Info Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Liquid Creative Studio, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Info Technician, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ascend Advanced Therapies FL, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Crom, LLC | Construction | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Center for Violence Prevention | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Videoport IPTV, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Axogen, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Unified Analytics, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cabrillo Coastal General Insurance | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The National Center for Constructi | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Floor Incerance Agency, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cardiovascular Anesthesia Consultants of Central Florida, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Care Rite Pharmacy, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| SDR Engineering Consultants, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sandvik Mining and Construction USA, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rapid Genomics, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ocala Health Trauma, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| North Florida Pediatrics P a | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Caspia Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Micro Nano Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Localwild, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lake Butler Pharmacy, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Interventional Cardiologists of GA | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Innovative Waste Consulting Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Infectious Diseases Specialty Association | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hospitalists Group of Florida, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| CSI America, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Flip Factory Zone, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Fargo Automotive of Gainesville, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Event Tickets Center, Inc. | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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