KC Reporter

In 2024, all H-1B petitions submitted by employers based in the KC Reporter publication area were approved, according to data provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-1B Employer Data Hub.

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 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 KC Reporter publication area during 2024, filing a total of 61 petitions (60.4% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry followed, with 27 petitions (26.7% 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 University of Kansas Medical Center with 61 petitions and all of them approved, The University of Kansas Physicians with 22 petitions and all of them approved, and Airfixture, LLC, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. and Nova Green Recycling, LLC with two petitions each, along with two other companies.

Compared to 2023, Kansas saw a 9.8% 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	Educational Services	61	60.4%	100%	0%
2	Health Care and Social Assistance	27	26.7%	100%	0%
3	Wholesale Trade	3	3%	100%	0%
4	Manufacturing	2	2%	100%	0%
4	Construction	2	2%	100%	0%
4	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	2	2%	100%	0%
4	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	2	2%	100%	0%

Company Name	Industries	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
University of Kansas Medical Center	Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance	61	100%	0%
The University of Kansas Physicians	Health Care and Social Assistance	22	100%	0%
Airfixture, LLC	Manufacturing	2	100%	0%
Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	2	100%	0%
Nova Green Recycling, LLC	Wholesale Trade	2	100%	0%
Unified School District No 500	Educational Services	2	100%	0%
University of Kansas Health System	Health Care and Social Assistance	2	100%	0%
Berkel and Company Contractors, Inc.	Construction	1	100%	0%
BSD Creative Solutions, LLC	Construction	1	100%	0%
Epiq Ediscovery Solutions LS, Inc.	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	1	100%	0%
Forensic Medical of Kansas, LLC	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	100%	0%
Qin'S Buffalo, LLC	Wholesale Trade	1	100%	0%
Streetcar Healthcare, Inc.	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	100%	0%
The Family Conservancy	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	100%	0%
Xenotech, LLC	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	1	100%	0%