Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
This represents an approval rate of 98.1%, 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 South Dakota across all industries submitted 910 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 97%.
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 Finance and Insurance industry led H-1B petition approvals in the Sioux Empire Today publication area during 2024, filing a total of 427 petitions (59.5% of all submissions) and receiving 426 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 99.8%. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry followed, with 182 petitions (25.3% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 94%.
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 Wells Fargo Bank, N A with 446 petitions and 99.8% of them approved, Sanford Clinic with 50 petitions and all of them approved, and Sanford with 43 petitions filed and an approval rate of 81.4%.
Compared to 2023, South Dakota saw a 1.9% 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 | Finance and Insurance | 427 | 59.5% | 99.8% | 0.2% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 182 | 25.3% | 94% | 6% |
| 3 | Educational Services | 35 | 4.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 27 | 3.8% | 96.3% | 3.7% |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 7 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Information | 3 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 0.1% | 0% | 100% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank, N A | Finance and Insurance | 446 | 99.8% | 0.2% |
| Sanford Clinic | Health Care and Social Assistance | 50 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanford | Health Care and Social Assistance | 43 | 81.4% | 18.6% |
| Sanford Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 30 | 96.7% | 3.3% |
| Avera Mckennan | Health Care and Social Assistance | 23 | 91.3% | 8.7% |
| Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Educational Services | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Ultimus Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota Residency Corporation | Educational Services | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanford Clinic North | Health Care and Social Assistance | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanford Medical Center Fargo | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanford Bismarck | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Augustana University | Educational Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Raven Applied Technologies, LLC | Manufacturing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Resource Infosoft, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 80% | 20% |
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanford Research | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Premier Bankcard, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Experity, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Midcontinent Communications | Information | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanford Health of Northern Minneso | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sonifi Solutions, Inc. | Manufacturing, Information | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Capital Card Services, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Otter Audits, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Omnitech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanford Health Plan | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| JDS Industries, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Horizon Health Care, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sencore, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Carroll Institute | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Avera Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Adams Thermal Systems, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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