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
For comparison, the nationwide average approval rate is 98%.
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 Iowa across all industries submitted 1,587 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 98.1%.
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 Health Care and Social Assistance industry led H-1B petition approvals in the North Iowa Reporter publication area during 2024, filing a total of 22 petitions (34.4% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Manufacturing industry followed, with 17 petitions (26.6% 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 were Cambrex Charles City, Inc. and Mercyone North Iowa, each with 14.
Compared to 2023, Iowa saw a 93.9% 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 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 22 | 34.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 17 | 26.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 12.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 7 | 10.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Educational Services | 3 | 4.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 3.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Utilities | 2 | 3.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Public Administration | 1 | 1.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 1.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Construction | 1 | 1.6% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambrex Charles City, Inc. | Manufacturing | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercyone North Iowa | Health Care and Social Assistance | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Sciplay Games, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Kingland Systems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Agencybloc, LLC | Finance and Insurance, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Kossuth County Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Hancock County Health System | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Wartburg College | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Distek Integration, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Cedar Falls Utilities | Utilities | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Denver Community School District | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mason City Clinic | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| City of Cedar Falls | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pathology Associates of Mason City | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Performance Livestock Analytics 2 0, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Stateline Cooperative | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Stueve Construction, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sukup Manufacturing Company | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| United Equipment Accessories, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Brandfx, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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