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 97.9%, 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 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 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led H-1B petition approvals in the McHenry Times publication area during 2024, filing a total of 57 petitions (59.4% of all submissions) and receiving 56 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 98.2%. The Educational Services industry followed, with 16 petitions (16.7% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 93.8%.
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 were Northeastern Illinois University and Thoughtline Technologies, Inc., each with eight.
Compared to 2023, Illinois saw a 20.5% 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 | 57 | 59.4% | 98.2% | 1.8% |
| 2 | Educational Services | 16 | 16.7% | 93.8% | 6.3% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 14 | 14.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 3.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Information | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Illinois University | Educational Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Thoughtline Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Kavi Associates, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Trinuc, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Harward Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Only It Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Neonsoft, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| North Park University | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Indigo Systems and Technology Consulting, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Platinum Consulting Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas, Inc. | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Leica Microsystems, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Crystal Lake Community Consolidated School District 47 | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Thomson Linear, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| ASM Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Aptargroup, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Woostock Sterile Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| MMA Engineering Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Netronix Corporation | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rockford Public School District 205 | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sayers Technology, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Mchenry Dentist, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Transcend Counseling Chicago, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| X-Ray Cassette Repair Company, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| York Business Associates | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| AFC Employment Solutions, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Almoh Media, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Animal Care Center of Barrington, P.C. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Baxter and Woodman, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bluestone Staffing Solutions | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Braid It, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Clayens NP USA, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| CSP Technologies, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Excaliber Technology Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Follett School Solutions, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Horse Pilates, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Humayuns S C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Inavista Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Landairsea Systems, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lead Exposure Elimination Project, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Limitless Innovations, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mak Imaging Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mchenry County College | Educational Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
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