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 98.9%, 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 Wisconsin across all industries submitted 2,879 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 99.1%.
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 Manufacturing industry led H-1B petition approvals in the Fox Cities News publication area during 2024, filing a total of 26 petitions (28% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry followed, with 20 petitions (21.5% 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 Kimberly Clark USA, LLC with 16 petitions and all of them approved, Air Wisconsin Airlines, LLC with nine petitions and all of them approved, and Schneider Enterprise Resources, LLC, Ripon College and Oshkosh Defense, LLC with five petitions each.
Compared to 2023, Wisconsin saw a 10.8% 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 | Manufacturing | 26 | 28% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 20 | 21.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Transportation and Warehousing | 13 | 14% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Educational Services | 11 | 11.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Finance and Insurance | 8 | 8.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 7.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 3 | 3.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Construction | 1 | 1.1% | 0% | 100% |
| 8 | Retail Trade | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Information | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Utilities | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly Clark USA, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Manufacturing | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Air Wisconsin Airlines, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Schneider Enterprise Resources, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ripon College | Educational Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Oshkosh Defense, LLC | Manufacturing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Thedacare, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation | Finance and Insurance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Lawrence University of Wisconsin | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Plexus, Corp. | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Oshkosh Corporation | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Menasha Corporation | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company Si | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Oracular Is, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Agnitio, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Agropur, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| US Venture, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Switchgear Power Systems, LLC | Utilities | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Norbert College | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Semex USA, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| School Specialty, LLC | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Schneider Logistics, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ahlstrom Specialty Solutions LLC, NA | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Prevea Clinic, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Amcor Flexibles North America, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Partnership Community Health Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| American Family Connect Property and Casualty Insurance | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| B and P Mechanical, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Specialists of Green Bay S C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Boviteq USA, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Miller Electric Manufacturing, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Menasha Packaging Company, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Electrical Testing Solutions | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| M B Company, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Foth Infrastructure and Environmen | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| GB Minimart, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Harmann Studios, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| J J Keller and Associates, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Illinois Tool Works, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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