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
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 West Massachusetts News publication area submitted 141 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 97.2%.
While the Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings with 86 petitions, representing 61% of all submissions in the West Massachusetts News publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Health Care and Social Assistance industry, which accounted for 36 petitions and represented 25.5% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry, 91.7% were approved and 8.3% were denied.
Among local employers with petitions categorized under the Health Care and Social Assistance sector during 2024, Berkshire Medical Center stood out with 16 petitions and an approval rate of 93.8%, followed by Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. with seven petitions and an approval rate of 85.7%.
Compared to 2023, the Health Care and Social Assistance sector in the West Massachusetts News publication area saw a 30.8% decrease 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 | 86 | 61% | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 36 | 25.5% | 91.7% | 8.3% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 10 | 7.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 2.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2 | 1.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Construction | 1 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Information | 1 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umass Chan Medical School | Educational Services | 44 | 100% | 0% |
| Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. | Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 17 | 94.1% | 5.9% |
| Berkshire Medical Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 16 | 93.8% | 6.3% |
| Williams College | Educational Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Trustees of Amherst College | Educational Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing LL | Manufacturing | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion C | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mount Holyoke College | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Hillcrest Dental Care, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Community Health Programs, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Berkshire Faculty Services, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| The Berkshire School, Inc. | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Bard College | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| R and R Window Contractors, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Systemone, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Plaskolite Massachusetts, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Unistress, Corp. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nourse Farms NC Acquisition, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Northfield Mount Hermon School | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| New England Adolescent Research Institute | Educational Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Wizardpig, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| LSC Lifesciences Consultants Brook | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ksamass, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Iovis Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Deerfield Academy | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bousquet Sport Enterprise, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Berkshire Hills Music Academy | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Berkshire Health Systems | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Berkshire Community College | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Austen Riggs Center, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Atlantic Furniture, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| American River Nutrition, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Advanced Berkshire Medical Imaging | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Aaron E Buyack PLLC D B a Yarm, D.M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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