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/
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 St. Pete Standard publication area submitted 269 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 92.6%.
The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings in the St. Pete Standard publication area during 2024, with 115 petitions (42.8% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 86.1%. Meanwhile, the Finance and Insurance industry was the second largest contributor, filing 87 petitions (32.3% of the total), with an approval rate of 98.9%.
The St. Pete Standard publication area employers with the most petitions categorized under the Finance and Insurance sector during 2024 included Raymond James and Associates, Inc., which filed 44 petitions with an approval rate of 97.7%, Raymond James and Associates, Inc. with 24 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Raymond James & Associates, Inc., which filed five petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Finance and Insurance sector in the St. Pete Standard publication area saw a 1.2% 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 | 115 | 42.8% | 86.1% | 13.9% |
| 2 | Finance and Insurance | 87 | 32.3% | 98.9% | 1.1% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 41 | 15.2% | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 1.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 1.9% | 80% | 20% |
| 6 | Accommodation and Food Services | 2 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Information | 2 | 0.7% | 50% | 50% |
| 8 | Educational Services | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Public Administration | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Retail Trade | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Construction | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raymond James and Associates, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 70 | 98.6% | 1.4% |
| Intellativ, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 38 | 100% | 0% |
| Jabil, Inc. | Manufacturing | 27 | 96.3% | 3.7% |
| New Edge Technology PVT, Ltd. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16 | 0% | 100% |
| Altairtek, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| S S White Technologies, Inc. | Manufacturing | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Teqnodots It Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Decipher Software Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Raymond James & Associates, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Catalina Marketing Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Catalina Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Pods Enterprise, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| PSCU | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Johns Hopkins All Childrens Hospit | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Wdmarketdesk, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hill Top Research, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| ARK Investment Management, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Millimeter Wave Products, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Vault Risk Management Services, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Enstar US, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Skaya, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Binary Byte Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Vali, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Commercial Insurance Net, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Society of St. Vincent DE Paul South Pinellas, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| SBF, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rob Graham Enterprises, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Advanced Training Systems, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Speechify, Inc. | Information | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Sripen, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sterrofox, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Tampa Bay Rays Baseball, Ltd. | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tinky, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| TJZ Holdings, LLC | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Transact Payment Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Trusted Resource Underwriters, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| UCG Underground Supplies, LLC | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Wannemacher Jensen Architects, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Xonar Technology, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Agora Sales, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bankers Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Better Technologies D B a Gelt, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Calibi Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cognitive Research Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Dynasty Financial Partners, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Eagle Asset Management, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Eckerd College | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| GA Food Services of Pinellas County, LLC | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| GCP Global Clinical Professionals | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Halkey Roberts Corporation | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Helixbeat, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kemco Systems Company, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lantmannen Unibake USA, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Life Spectacular, Inc. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Luminosity, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mariano D Cibran Corporation, M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| New Nauticals Coatings, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Oasis Corporate Housing, Inc. | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pico Portal, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pods Enterprises, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Power Design, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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