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
This represents an approval rate of 100%, which is higher than the average in South Dakota across all industries.
That year, the statewide average approval rate for H-1B petitions stood at 97%, slightly lower than 2023's 99.1%. Across the publication area, employers across all industries submitted 718 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 98.1%.
For comparison, the U.S. reported an average approval rate of 98% in 2024.
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.
While the Finance and Insurance industry led the H-1B filings with 427 petitions, representing 59.5% of all submissions in Sioux Empire Today publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Health Care and Social Assistance industry, which accounted for 182 petitions and represented 25.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry, 94% were approved and 6% were denied.
The employers in the Manufacturing sector in Sioux Empire Today publication area included Raven Applied Technologies, LLC with five petitions, Sencore, Inc., and Sonifi Solutions, Inc. with one petition each during 2024.
Compared to 2023, the Manufacturing sector saw a 73.1% decrease in the number of H-1B petitions across Sioux Empire Today publication area 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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