This represents an approval rate of 98.3%, 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 Louisiana during 2024, filing a total of 413 petitions (38.1% of all submissions) and receiving 405 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 98.1%. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry followed, with 181 petitions (16.7% of all submissions), receiving 178 approvals and an approval rate of 98.3%.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The Louisiana employers with the most approvals during 2024 included Louisiana State University and a and M College, filing a total of 95 petitions and receiving 93 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 97.9%, and Ochsner Clinic Foundation, which filed 95 petitions and received 93 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 97.9%.
Compared to 2023, Louisiana saw a 6.2% 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 | 413 | 38.1% | 405 | 98.1% | 1.9% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 181 | 16.7% | 178 | 98.3% | 1.7% |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 114 | 10.5% | 111 | 97.4% | 2.6% |
| 4 | Information | 104 | 9.6% | 104 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 70 | 6.5% | 70 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Finance and Insurance | 70 | 6.5% | 69 | 98.6% | 1.4% |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 39 | 3.6% | 38 | 97.4% | 2.6% |
| 8 | Utilities | 20 | 1.8% | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Public Administration | 10 | 0.9% | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Transportation and Warehousing | 8 | 0.7% | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Construction | 7 | 0.6% | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Retail Trade | 7 | 0.6% | 6 | 85.7% | 14.3% |
| 13 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 5 | 0.5% | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 5 | 0.5% | 4 | 80% | 20% |
| 14 | Wholesale Trade | 4 | 0.4% | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Accommodation and Food Services | 3 | 0.3% | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 0.1% | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.1% | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 0.1% | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rank | Company Name | Industry(ies) | Total Petitions | Approved Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana State University and a and M College | Information; Educational Services | 95 | 93 | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| 1 | Ochsner Clinic Foundation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 95 | 93 | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| 3 | Tulane University | Educational Services | 85 | 84 | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| 4 | LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport | Educational Services | 68 | 67 | 98.5% | 1.5% |
| 5 | National Hospitalist Services, PC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services; Health Care and Social Assistance | 35 | 35 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Republic Finance, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 28 | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Qwest Corporation | Information | 27 | 27 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | LSU Health Sciences Center | Educational Services | 27 | 26 | 96.3% | 3.7% |
| 8 | Hospitalist and Emergency Services of Texas PA | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services; Health Care and Social Assistance | 26 | 26 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | First Horizon Bank | Finance and Insurance | 25 | 25 | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Level 3 Communications, LLC | Information | 24 | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Centurylink Communications, LLC | Information | 18 | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| 13 | Lumen Technologies Service Group, LLC | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction; Information | 17 | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Educational Services | 16 | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Entergy Services, LLC | Utilities | 15 | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Willis Knighton Medical Center, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 12 | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| 17 | Intralox, LLC | Manufacturing | 12 | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Amedisys Holding, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Madison Parish School Board | Educational Services | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Cipherqore Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | Educational Services | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Xavier University of Louisiana | Educational Services | 9 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 24 | Ecole Bilingue DE LA Nouvelle Orleans | Educational Services | 8 | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 25 | East Baton Rouge Parish School Board | Educational Services | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 25 | Globalstar, Inc. | Information | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Louisiana Technician University | Educational Services | 7 | 6 | 85.7% | 14.3% |
| 27 | Technician Rakers, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | The Baton Rouge Clinic AMC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Infosytech Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Morehouse Parish School Board | Educational Services | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 27 | Seal Consulting, Inc. | Information | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 33 | Cint USA, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 33 | Cleco Support Group, LLC | Utilities | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 33 | Louisiana Department of Education | Public Administration | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 33 | Southeastern Louisiana University | Educational Services | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 33 | Nicholls State University | Educational Services | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 33 | Lycee Francais DE LA Nouvelle Orleans, Inc. | Educational Services | 6 | 5 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| 33 | Calcasieu Parish School Board | Educational Services | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 33 | Louisiana Health Service and Indemnity Company | Finance and Insurance | 5 | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | South Louisiana Medical Associates | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | Gordon Sales, Inc. | Manufacturing | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | Ampirical Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | Emergency Care Management, LLC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | Hynes Charter School Corporation | Educational Services | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | International School of Louisiana | Educational Services | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | Stuller, Inc. | Manufacturing | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | Loyola University New Orleans | Educational Services | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | Cardiovascular Institute of the South a Professional Medical Corporation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | Tai Engineers, LLC | Information; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Louisiana Christian University | Educational Services | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Advantage Capital Corporation | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | AFS Logistics, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Southern University and a and M College | Educational Services | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Opelousas General Hospital Authori | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Southwest Louisiana Hospital Association, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Aptim Environmental and Infrastructure, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Emergent Talent, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | East Carroll Parish School Board | Educational Services | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Crescent Bank | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Delval Flow Controls USA, LLC | Manufacturing | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Jefferson Parish Schools | Educational Services | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Steam and Process Repairs, Inc. | Construction | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Lafayette Parish School System | Educational Services | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 51 | Pan American Life Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Landmark Management Services, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Mobiloans, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Mcneese State University | Educational Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Hospitalist Services of Arkansas P | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | MMR Constructors, Inc. | Construction; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Neuro Care of Louisiana, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Radiology Associates of Swla, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Lafayette Health Ventures, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Hospitalist Services of Georgia, PC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Konane Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Northwestem State University of Louisiana | Educational Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Methanex USA Services, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | The Water Institute of the Gulf | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Diversified Well Logging | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | St. Martin Parish School Board | Educational Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Dillard University | Educational Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | The Integration Group of Americas | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | St. Helena Parish School District | Educational Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Betaflix, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Swiftships, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Centurylink Management Company, LLC | Information | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Clinics LLC, M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | University of New Orleans | Educational Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Ashan Enterprises, LLC | Retail Trade | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | US Forensic, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Evangeline Parish School Board | Educational Services | 3 | 2 | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| 67 | Southern Integrated Solutions and | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Tangipahoa Parish School System | Educational Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Fernandes Maritime Consultants, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | Children S Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 67 | 360insights USA, Ltd. | Information; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 98 | Techkuber, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 1 | 50% | 50% |
| 98 | Pelican Energy Consultants, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 1 | 33.3% | 66.7% |
| 98 | Tensas Parish School Board | Educational Services | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0% |