Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
This represents an approval rate of 100%, which is higher than the nationwide average.
In 2024, the average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the U.S. stood at 98%, slightly higher than the 97.3% recorded in 2023.
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 Hawaii during 2024, filing a total of 62 petitions (31.8% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry followed, with 50 petitions (25.6% of all submissions), receiving approvals for all of them.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The Hawaii employers with the most approvals during 2024 included University of Hawaii, filing a total of 57 petitions and receiving approvals for all of them, and Research Corporation of the Uh, which filed 31 petitions and received approvals for all of them.
Compared to 2023, Hawaii saw a 24.2% 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 Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Educational Services | 62 | 31.8% | 62 | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 50 | 25.6% | 50 | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 27 | 13.8% | 27 | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Construction | 24 | 12.3% | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Transportation and Warehousing | 6 | 3.1% | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 2.1% | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3 | 1.5% | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 1.5% | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 3 | 1.5% | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3 | 1.5% | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 1% | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 0.5% | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rank | Company Name | Industry(ies) | Total Petitions | Approved Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Hawaii | Educational Services | 57 | 57 | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Research Corporation of the Uh | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 31 | 31 | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Nan, Inc. | Construction | 14 | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Kapi Olani Medical Specialists | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Queens University Medical Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Su-MO Builders, Inc. | Construction | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Hitachi Rail Honolulu JV | Manufacturing; Transportation and Warehousing | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Hawai I Pacific University | Educational Services | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Pacific Anesthesia, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | HI Emergency Physicians Association, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Hawaii Kidney Specialists, LLP | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | The Queens Medical Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Tidy Daily, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | A American Custom Flooring, Inc. | Construction | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Brigham Young University Hawaii | Educational Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Bishop Museum | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Altres, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Waianae District Comp Health and HSPTL | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Martin, Chock and Carden, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Mcyia, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | MGA Architecture, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Mohala Pua School | Educational Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Xoriant Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | World Sake Imports, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Pacific Buddhist Academy | Educational Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Waikiki Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Pacific Financial Management, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Pacific Forum International | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Pacific Whale Foundation | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Par Petroleum, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | University of Hawaii Foundation | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Premkamal Spas, LLC | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Prowork Pacific, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Trustees Estate Bernice P Bishop | Educational Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | SSFM International, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Symbrosia, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | The Wahiawa Center for Community H | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | A Team Pacific Roofing, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Adventure Sports Hawaii, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Amethyst Builders, LLC | Construction | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Architects Hawaii, Ltd. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Asia Pacific Education Foundation | Educational Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Carlsmith Ball, LLP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange Between East and West, I | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Central Pacific Bank | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Charlie Y Sonido Inc., M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Chinese Language Learning Center | Educational Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Community Clinic of Maui, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Community Planning and Engineering, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Consumertrack, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Dorvin D Leis Company, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Exploration Associates, Ltd. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | First Hawaiian Bank | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Hawaii Farming | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Hawaii Nephrologists, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Hawaii Off-Grid, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Hawaiian Rehabilitation Services I | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | International Archaeological Resea | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | JBC Engineering and Construction, LLC | Construction | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Keck Observatory | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Kokua Geotech, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Lddi, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Maloha Group, Corp. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Marketplace Software, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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