Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
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 North Little Rock Times publication area submitted 99 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 93.9%.
While the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings with 59 petitions, representing 59.6% of all submissions in the North Little Rock Times publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Information industry, which accounted for 32 petitions and represented 32.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Information industry, 81.3% were approved and 18.7% were denied.
The North Little Rock Times publication area employers with the most petitions categorized under the Information sector during 2024 included Acxiom, LLC, which filed 23 petitions with an approval rate of 87%, Acxiom, LLC with eight petitions and an approval rate of 75%, and Green Digital, LLC, which filed one petition with an approval rate of 0%.
Compared to 2023, the Information sector in the North Little Rock Times publication area saw a 113.3% 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 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 59 | 59.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Information | 32 | 32.3% | 81.3% | 18.8% |
| 3 | Educational Services | 5 | 5.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainwell Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 57 | 100% | 0% |
| Acxiom, LLC | Information | 31 | 83.9% | 16.1% |
| University of Central Arkansas | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Acoustic L P | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Central Arkansas Pediatrics, PA | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Digital, LLC | Information | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Jacksonville Public School District | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Primary Care 360, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Vincent Medical Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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