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 97.4%, 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 Florida across all industries submitted 9,845 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 97.1%.
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 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led H-1B petition approvals in the Sarasota Review publication area during 2024, filing a total of 20 petitions (25.6% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry followed, with 13 petitions (16.7% 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 Fcci Services, Inc. with seven petitions and all of them approved, New College of Florida and SMH Health Care, Inc. with six petitions each, and Delicatessen Services Company, LLC with four petitions filed and an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, Florida saw a 65.2% 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 | 20 | 25.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 16.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 12 | 15.4% | 91.7% | 8.3% |
| 4 | Educational Services | 7 | 9% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Finance and Insurance | 6 | 7.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Wholesale Trade | 4 | 5.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Information | 3 | 3.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 3 | 3.8% | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| 9 | Construction | 2 | 2.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2 | 2.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Public Administration | 1 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fcci Services, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| New College of Florida | Educational Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| SMH Health Care, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Delicatessen Services Company, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Navisiontech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Jackson Hewitt, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Intertape Polymer, Corp. | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Deep Reasoning Ai, Inc. | Information, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Restocks, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Roper Technologies, Inc. | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sun Hydraulics, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sweet Sparkman Architects, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Customized Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Crown Roofing and Waterproofing, LLC | Construction | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| The Roskamp Institute, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 3B Medical, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| The Jewish Federation of Sarasota Manatee | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Soni Family Practice, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tianba Process Equipment USA, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sarasota County | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tricounty Health, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ringling College of ART and Design, Inc. | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Venice Physical Therapy and Sports | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Railcar Company, Corp. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Plymouth Harbor, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Your Fitness Instructor, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Arcadia Medical Associates PA | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Brown Jordan, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| CGI Windows and Doors, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cienaga Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Clymer Farner Barley, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Combat Waffle Studios, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Deception and Truth Analysis, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Floridyne Engineering, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| JMX Brands, Inc. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ladder Insights, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Lake Gastroenterology Associates, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Locals Technology, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mccall Engineering, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mediserv Infusion, LLC | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Metro Steel and Pipe Supply, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Myonsite Healthcare, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Occams Paradigm, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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