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 99%, 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 Kansas across all industries submitted 1,314 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 98.6%.
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 Educational Services industry led H-1B petition approvals in the Topeka Sun publication area during 2024, filing a total of 49 petitions (47.6% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry followed, with 22 petitions (21.4% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 95.5%.
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 Topeka Public Schools Unified Scho with 40 petitions and all of them approved, The University of Kansas Physicians with 10 petitions and 90% of them approved, and Stormont Vail Healthcare with seven petitions filed and an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, Kansas saw a 121.7% 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 | Educational Services | 49 | 47.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 22 | 21.4% | 95.5% | 4.5% |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 12.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Public Administration | 5 | 4.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Finance and Insurance | 5 | 4.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4 | 3.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Information | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka Public Schools Unified Scho | Educational Services | 40 | 100% | 0% |
| The University of Kansas Physicians | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 90% | 10% |
| Stormont Vail Healthcare | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Civicplus, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka | Finance and Insurance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Washburn University | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| The University of Kansas | Public Administration | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Treanorhl, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Info Origin, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Great Plains Annual Conference of | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Auburn-Washburn USD 437 | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Amberwell Atchison Association | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Unified School District No 383 | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| U S D 501 Topeka Public Schools | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ascension via Christi Hospital Manhattan, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Asset Lifecycle, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Topeka Hospital, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bartlett and West, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Lawrence Memorial Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Benedictine College | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Prairie Band Potawatomi Entertainm | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Oral Health Kansas, Inc. | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lenere, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kansas-Nebraska Conference of Seve | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kansas Health Information Network | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Biodata Solutions | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hydrograph USA, Ltd. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| City of Lawrence Kansas | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cook Flatt and Strobel Engineers P | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Custom Dredge Works, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cosmos It Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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