Of these, 197 were approved (97.5%), while five were denied (2.5%).
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%, higher than 2023's 97.3%. Statewide, Virginia employers across all industries submitted 25,463 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 97.9%.
The Retail Trade industry led the H-1B filings in Virginia during 2024, with 11,590 petitions (45.5% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 98.2%. Meanwhile, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 7,435 petitions (29.2% of the total), with an approval rate of 96.8%.
The Virginia employers which made the most petitions in the Manufacturing sector during 2024 included The Boeing Company with 32 petitions and Nestle USA, Inc. with 18 petitions.
Compared to 2023, the Manufacturing sector in Virginia saw an 8.6% 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 | Retail Trade | 11,590 | 45.5% | 98.2% | 1.9% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7,435 | 29.2% | 96.8% | 3.2% |
| 3 | Information | 3,519 | 13.8% | 98.6% | 1.5% |
| 4 | Finance and Insurance | 1,043 | 4.1% | 99.5% | 0.5% |
| 5 | Educational Services | 801 | 3.2% | 98.4% | 1.6% |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 240 | 0.9% | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| 7 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 229 | 0.9% | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 202 | 0.8% | 97.5% | 2.5% |
| 9 | Utilities | 69 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 68 | 0.3% | 95.6% | 4.4% |
| 11 | Accommodation and Food Services | 54 | 0.2% | 98.2% | 1.9% |
| 12 | Construction | 49 | 0.2% | 91.8% | 8.2% |
| 13 | Wholesale Trade | 42 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Transportation and Warehousing | 35 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Public Administration | 30 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 18 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 16 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 8 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 0% | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| 20 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 7 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
Top Employers in Manufacturing Industry in Virginia, 2024
| Rank | Company Name | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Boeing Company | 32 | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Nestle USA, Inc. | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Granules Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Electrify America, LLC | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Volkswagen ADMT, LLC | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Alfa Laval, Inc. | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Granules Consumer Health, Inc. | 6 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| 9 | Indivior, Inc. | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Scout Motors, Inc. | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Virginia Transformer Corporation | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | RTX Corporation | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Hyper Solutions, Inc. | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | L3harris Technologies, Inc. | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Syntasa Corporation | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | American Woodmark Corporation | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Zenith Quest Corporation | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Airbus Americas, Inc. | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Afton Chemical Corporation | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Synergy Biofuels, LLC | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | IN-Stock Cabinets, LLC | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 19 | Belvac Production Machinery, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Aumvis Pharmatec, LLC | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Federal Mogul Powertrain, LLC | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Audi of America, LLC | 2 | 0% | 100% |
| 19 | Newmarket Services Corporation | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Universal Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Chemtreat, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Erva, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Aq Transformer Solutions, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Trex Company, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Muhlbauer, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Securiport, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Gerber Products Company | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Cakeboxx Technologies, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Ym Dental Lab, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Rehau Incorporated | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | EPL America, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Topia, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Millcraft, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | GD USA, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Busch, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Pomega Energy Storage Technolgies, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Aeronautical Systems Incorporated | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Alpha Workholding Solutions, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Tmeic Corporation Americas | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Mcairlaids, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Fermi Energy, Inc. | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 29 | Phlow Corporation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Accutec, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Swedish Match North America, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Iba Proton Therapy, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Zima-Pack, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Driv Automotive, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Titan America, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Mario Industries of Virginia, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Federal-Mogul Motorparts, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | OTT Hydromet Corporation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | ABC Imaging of Washington, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Dominion Millwork Company, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Airparts Aero, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Tidal Flight, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Liebherr-America, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | USA Cabinet Store, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | 3D Imaging and Simulation Ame, Corp. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Stihl Incorporated | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Color-Ad, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Zenith Aerotech, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Laser Thermal Analysis, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Ez Cabinetry, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Aspetto, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Somic America, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Rivanna Medical, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Agrospheres, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 29 | Tempur Production USA, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |