Of these, 613 were approved (98.1%), while 12 were denied (1.9%).
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, Arizona employers across all industries submitted 6,313 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.3%.
While the Manufacturing industry led the H-1B filings with 3,468 petitions, representing 54.9% of all submissions in Arizona during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, which accounted for 1,157 petitions and represented 18.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, 3,422 were approved and 46 were denied.
The Arizona employers which made the most petitions in the Educational Services sector during 2024 included Arizona State University with 141 petitions, The University of Arizona with 105 petitions, and The University of Phoenix, Inc. with 35 petitions.
Compared to 2023, the Educational Services sector in Arizona saw a 9.3% 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 | Manufacturing | 3,468 | 54.9% | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,157 | 18.3% | 97.2% | 2.8% |
| 3 | Educational Services | 625 | 9.9% | 98.1% | 1.9% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 236 | 3.7% | 98.3% | 1.7% |
| 5 | Information | 176 | 2.8% | 98.3% | 1.7% |
| 6 | Finance and Insurance | 130 | 2.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 125 | 2% | 98.4% | 1.6% |
| 8 | Construction | 75 | 1.2% | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| 9 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 66 | 1.1% | 97% | 3% |
| 10 | Wholesale Trade | 63 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Accommodation and Food Services | 47 | 0.7% | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| 12 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 46 | 0.7% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| 13 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 42 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Utilities | 19 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Transportation and Warehousing | 14 | 0.2% | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| 16 | Public Administration | 10 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 9 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
Top Employers in Educational Services Industry in Arizona, 2024
| Rank | Company Name | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University | 141 | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| 2 | The University of Arizona | 105 | 99.1% | 1% |
| 3 | The University of Phoenix, Inc. | 35 | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Tucson Unified School District | 21 | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Northern Arizona University | 21 | 95.2% | 4.8% |
| 6 | Isaac School District No 5 | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Pendergast Elementary School Distr | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Maricopa Unified School District | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Douglas Unified School District | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Florence Unified School District 1 | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Nogales Unified School District | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Rock Point School, Inc. | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Deer Valley Unified School Distric | 9 | 88.9% | 11.1% |
| 12 | Sunnyside Unified School District | 9 | 88.9% | 11.1% |
| 12 | Phoenix Union High School District 210 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Paradise Valley Unified School Dis | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Roosevelt School District 66 | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Buckeye Elementary School District | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Harvest Power Community Developmen | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 21 | Cibecue Community School | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 21 | Creighton Elementary School Distri | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Catalina Foothills Unified School | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Indian Oasis - Baboquivari Unified | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Tuba City Unified School District | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Chandler Unified School District No 80 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Douglas Unified School District 27 | 3 | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| 27 | Flagstaff Unified School District 1 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Willcox Unified School District # 13 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Imagine Learning, LLC | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Whiteriver Unified School District | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Higley Unified School District | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Espiritu Community Development Corporation | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Seligman Unified School District | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Daisy Education Corporation | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Ajo Unified School District | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Phoenix Elementary School District | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | San Carlos Unified School District 20 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Vail Unified School District | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Salome Consolidated Elementary School | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Mexicayotl Academy, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Ethos Academy | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Pan-American Elementary Charter School | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Wenden Elementary School District | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Pendergast Elementary School District No 92 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Apache Junction Unified School Dis | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Morrison Education Group, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Great Hearts America | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Odyssey Preparatory Academy, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Scottsdale Unified School District | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Paragon Management, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Morenci Unified School District | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Yuma Catholic High School | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Nogales Unified School District 1 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Hopi Day School | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Paradise Valley Unified School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Miami Unified School District No 40 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Spear Education, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Cintana Education, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | PF I Carrus Services, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Holbrook Unified School District 3 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Casa Del Nino Bilingual Montessori | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 56 | Sonoita Elementary School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Peoria Unified School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Little Singer Community School, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Arizona Cultural Academy | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | New Reach Careers, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | The Grande Innovation Academy | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Deer Valley Unified School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Buckeye Elementary School District #33 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Imagine Camelback Middle, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Tucson International School, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Maricopa Union Elementary School D | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Cibecue Community Education Board, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Kyrene Elementary School District No 28 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Arizona ART Academy, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | New Century Education Group, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Sunnyside Unified School District 12 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Page Unified School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Hyder School District No 16 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Espiritu Community Development Cor | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Self Development Charter School D | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Victory Autism Academy | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 56 | Wellton Elementary School District No 24 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Chino Valley Unified School Distri | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Kyrene Elementary School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Pinon Unified School District 4 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Breakthrough Academy, Inc. | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 56 | Hotevilla Bacavi Community School Board of Education | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Tolleson Union High School Distric | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Empower College Prep | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Parker Unified School District 27 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Kryterion, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Vertex Education, LLC | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 56 | Morenci Unified School District 18 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Great Hearts Academics | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Success School | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Yuma Private Industry Council, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Creighton Elementary School District No 14 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Breaking Barrierz BBZ, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Hopi Tribe of Arizona | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Tohono Oodham Community College | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Edkey, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Cave Creek Unified School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Valiant College Preparatory | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | St. Peters Episcopal Church of Litc | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Maricopa Unified School District 20 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 56 | Ball Charter Schools | 1 | 100% | 0% |