Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
This represents an approval rate of 98.2%, which is higher 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 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 Educational Services industry led H-1B petition approvals in the Chambana Sun publication area during 2024, filing a total of 206 petitions (73.6% of all submissions) and receiving 202 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 98.1%. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry followed, with 32 petitions (11.4% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 96.9%.
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 University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign with 197 petitions and 98% of them approved, Carle Health Care, Inc. with 10 petitions and all of them approved, and Christie Clinic, PLLC, The Methodist Medical Center of Illinois and University of Illinois at Chicago with seven petitions each.
Compared to 2023, Illinois saw a 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 | Educational Services | 206 | 73.6% | 98.1% | 1.9% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 32 | 11.4% | 96.9% | 3.1% |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16 | 5.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Information | 8 | 2.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Manufacturing | 8 | 2.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Public Administration | 4 | 1.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Construction | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign | Educational Services | 197 | 98% | 2% |
| Carle Health Care, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Christie Clinic, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| The Methodist Medical Center of Illinois | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 85.7% | 14.3% |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | Educational Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Wolfram Research, Inc. | Information | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| The Carle Foundation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Smartz, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Champaign County Regional Planning | Public Administration | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Obiter Research, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Thyssenkrupp Crankshaft Company, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Trova Ai, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Habiterre, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Illinois Foundation | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Earthsense, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Wolfram Alpha, LLC | Information | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Vesuvius USA Corporation | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Viscofan USA, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sub4 Development Company of Colora | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Yummy Future, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rantoul City Schools 137 | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| New World Market | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Natrion, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Meshare, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mahomet-Seymour School District | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kirby Med Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Haran Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Eye Wisconsin, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Eres International, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cunningham Township | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Carle West Physician Group, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Carle Holding Company, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Broeren Russo Builders, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Andrew White Dentistry, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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