River Region Times

Employers based in the River Region Times publication area submitted 72 H-1B petitions during 2024, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-1B Employer Data Hub. All of these petitions were approved.

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. 

In 2024, the average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States stood at 98%, slightly higher than 2023's 97.3%.

The Health Care and Social Assistance industry led the H-1B filings locally during 2024, with 17 petitions (23.6% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Educational Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 16 petitions (22.2% of the total), with an approval rate of 100%.

The River Region Times publication area employers with the most petitions during 2024 included Alfa Mutual Insurance Company, which filed 13 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, Auburn University with 10 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Jackson Hospital and Clinic, Inc., which filed nine petitions with an approval rate of 100%.

Compared to 2023, the River Region Times publication area saw a 2.9% 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	17	23.6%	100%	0%
2	Educational Services	16	22.2%	100%	0%
3	Finance and Insurance	13	18.1%	100%	0%
4	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	9	12.5%	100%	0%
5	Manufacturing	8	11.1%	100%	0%
6	Other Services (except Public Administration)	3	4.2%	100%	0%
7	Construction	2	2.8%	100%	0%
8	Retail Trade	1	1.4%	100%	0%
8	Wholesale Trade	1	1.4%	100%	0%
8	Information	1	1.4%	100%	0%
8	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	1	1.4%	100%	0%

Company Name	Industry(ies)	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
Alfa Mutual Insurance Company	Finance and Insurance	13	100%	0%
Auburn University	Educational Services	10	100%	0%
Jackson Hospital and Clinic, Inc.	Health Care and Social Assistance	9	100%	0%
Goodwyn Mills and Cawood, LLC	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	4	100%	0%
HD Hyundai Power Transformers USA	Manufacturing	3	100%	0%
Gulf States Conference of Seventh	Other Services (except Public Administration)	3	100%	0%
Montgomery Pulmonary Consultants P	Health Care and Social Assistance	2	100%	0%
Neptune Technology Group, Inc.	Manufacturing	2	100%	0%
Faulkner University	Educational Services	2	100%	0%
River Region Psychiatry Associates, LLC	Health Care and Social Assistance	2	100%	0%
Central Alabama Community College	Educational Services	2	100%	0%
AMB Consulting Group, LLC	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	2	100%	0%
Yesac, Corp.	Construction	2	100%	0%
SL Alabama, LLC	Manufacturing	1	100%	0%
Sys Con, LLC	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	1	100%	0%
The Health Care Authority for Baptist Health an Affiliate of Uab Health System	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	100%	0%
RG Group, Inc.	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	1	100%	0%
Pourghazian, LLC	Manufacturing	1	100%	0%
Warren Averett Companies, LLC	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	1	100%	0%
Montgomery Cardiovascular Associates, PC	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	100%	0%
Job Creation, LLC	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	1	100%	0%
Jay R Smith Manufacturing Company Smith Industrie	Manufacturing	1	100%	0%
Innovar Healthcare Systems Group, Inc.	Information	1	100%	0%
Daeheung America, Inc.	Wholesale Trade	1	100%	0%
Community Hospital, Inc.	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	100%	0%
Baba Trading, LLC	Retail Trade	1	100%	0%
Autauga County Board of Education	Educational Services	1	100%	0%
Alabama Vascular Specialists, PC	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	100%	0%
Alabama State University	Educational Services	1	100%	0%