Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
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 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led H-1B petition approvals in the Cedar Rapids Today publication area during 2024, filing a total of 12 petitions (38.7% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry followed, with six petitions (19.4% 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 CRST Expedited, Inc. with five petitions and all of them approved, Mercy Hospital Cedar Rapids Iowa with four petitions and all of them approved, and Infinite Computing Systems, Inc. with three petitions filed and an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, Iowa saw a 20.5% decrease 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 | 12 | 38.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 19.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 16.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Educational Services | 2 | 6.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 6.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 3.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 1 | 3.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 3.2% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRST Expedited, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercy Hospital Cedar Rapids Iowa | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Infinite Computing Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| United Fire and Casualty Company | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Genova Technologies | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| OPN, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| OPN Architects, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Young Parents Network | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Physicians Clinic of Iowa, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercy Physician Associates, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Mercy Hospital Cedar Rapids Iowa D | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Marion Music Academy, L L C | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kirkwood Community College | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hibu, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Global Filter, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| FC United Soccer Club | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Esco Electric Company | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Design Engineers, P.C. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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