West Florida News Publication Area: How many H-1B petitions were made by employers classified under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry during 2024?

Employers classified under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry based within the West Florida News publication area, submitted 49 H-1B petitions during 2024, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-1B Employer Data Hub. Of these, 47 were approved (95.9%), while two were denied (4.1%).

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.

The average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98%, slightly higher than 2023’s 97.3%. Locally, employers across all industries located within the West Florida News publication area submitted 73 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 97.3%.

While the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings with 49 petitions, representing 67.1% of all submissions in the West Florida News publication area during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Real Estate and Rental and Leasing industry, which accounted for 12 petitions and represented 16.4% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Real Estate and Rental and Leasing industry, all were approved.

Among local employers with petitions categorized under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector during 2024, Virtuoso Info Systems, Inc. stood out with 30 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, followed by Ospro Systems, LLC with four petitions and an approval rate of 100%.

Compared to 2023, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector in the West Florida News publication area saw a 21% 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.