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 Manufacturing industry led H-1B petition approvals in Tennessee during 2024, filing a total of 1,038 petitions (22% of all submissions) and receiving 1,016 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 97.9%. The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry followed, with 997 petitions (21.1% of all submissions), receiving 970 approvals and an approval rate of 97.3%.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The Tennessee employers with the most approvals during 2024 included Cummins, Inc., filing a total of 718 petitions and receiving 699 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 97.4%, and UT Battelle ORNL, LLC, which filed 231 petitions and received 230 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 99.6%.
Compared to 2023, Tennessee saw a 3.2% 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 | Manufacturing | 1,038 | 22% | 1,016 | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 997 | 21.1% | 970 | 97.3% | 2.7% |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 827 | 17.5% | 817 | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| 4 | Finance and Insurance | 556 | 11.8% | 555 | 99.8% | 0.2% |
| 5 | Educational Services | 375 | 7.9% | 370 | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| 6 | Transportation and Warehousing | 320 | 6.8% | 317 | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 179 | 3.8% | 179 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 131 | 2.8% | 128 | 97.7% | 2.3% |
| 9 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 100 | 2.1% | 96 | 96% | 4% |
| 10 | Wholesale Trade | 47 | 1% | 47 | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Information | 44 | 0.9% | 44 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Public Administration | 14 | 0.3% | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| 13 | Construction | 9 | 0.2% | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 8 | 0.2% | 7 | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| 15 | Accommodation and Food Services | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4 | 0.1% | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 4 | 0.1% | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Utilities | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2 | ~0% | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | ~0% | 1 | 50% | 50% |
| Rank | Company Name | Industry(ies) | Total Petitions | Approved Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cummins, Inc. | Manufacturing | 718 | 699 | 97.4% | 2.6% |
| 2 | UT Battelle ORNL, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 231 | 230 | 99.6% | 0.4% |
| 3 | St. Jude Children S Research Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 228 | 227 | 99.6% | 0.4% |
| 4 | UBS Business Solutions US, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 225 | 225 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee | Educational Services | 176 | 174 | 98.9% | 1.1% |
| 6 | Fedex Corporate Services, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 169 | 168 | 99.4% | 0.6% |
| 7 | HCA Management Services LP | Finance and Insurance; Management of Companies and Enterprises; Health Care and Social Assistance | 125 | 122 | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| 8 | Federal Express Corporation | Transportation and Warehousing | 105 | 104 | 99% | 1% |
| 9 | Asurion, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 91 | 91 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Vanderbilt University | Educational Services | 81 | 80 | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| 11 | Fedex Dataworks, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 70 | 68 | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| 12 | Harvey Nash | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 69 | 67 | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| 13 | Autozone, Inc. | Retail Trade | 61 | 61 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Alliancebernstein L P | Finance and Insurance | 59 | 59 | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 58 | 58 | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Guardian Healthcare Providers, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 62 | 58 | 93.5% | 6.5% |
| 17 | Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of CA, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 52 | 49 | 94.2% | 5.8% |
| 18 | Tractor Supply Company | Retail Trade | 45 | 45 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Cummins Emission Solutions, Inc. | Manufacturing | 41 | 39 | 95.1% | 4.9% |
| 19 | UBS Securities, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 39 | 39 | 100% | 0% |
| 21 | Pilot Travel Centers, LLC | Retail Trade; Other Services (except Public Administration) | 38 | 38 | 100% | 0% |
| 22 | Bluecross Blueshield of Tennessee, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 36 | 36 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Sai Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 35 | 34 | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| 24 | Smith and Nephew, Inc. | Manufacturing | 30 | 30 | 100% | 0% |
| 25 | Jeevan Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 30 | 29 | 96.7% | 3.3% |
| 25 | Davita, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 29 | 29 | 100% | 0% |
| 25 | Evicore Healthcare MSI, LLC | Finance and Insurance; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 30 | 29 | 96.7% | 3.3% |
| 28 | Hospital Physician Services Southeast, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 28 | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| 28 | Geodis Logistics, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 28 | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| 30 | The University of Memphis | Educational Services | 27 | 27 | 100% | 0% |
| 31 | MI Softech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 27 | 26 | 96.3% | 3.7% |
| 32 | Cummins Filtration, Inc. | Manufacturing | 26 | 25 | 96.2% | 3.8% |
| 33 | Dollar General Corporation | Retail Trade | 24 | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| 33 | Moore Infotech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 24 | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| 35 | Specialist Resources Global, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 23 | 23 | 100% | 0% |
| 35 | Fedex Freight, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 23 | 23 | 100% | 0% |
| 35 | Healthstream, Inc. | Information | 23 | 23 | 100% | 0% |
| 38 | Unum Group | Finance and Insurance | 22 | 22 | 100% | 0% |
| 39 | Southeastern Physician Services, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 19 | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| 39 | Shelby County Schools | Educational Services | 19 | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| 41 | South Sound Inpatient Physicians, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 18 | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| 42 | Nissan North America, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 17 | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| 42 | West Tennessee Healthcare | Health Care and Social Assistance | 18 | 17 | 94.4% | 5.6% |
| 44 | VBJ Technician, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16 | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| 45 | Alsac St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 15 | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| 45 | Sound Physicians of Illinois D, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 15 | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| 47 | International Paper | Manufacturing | 14 | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| 47 | Eastman Chemical Company | Manufacturing | 14 | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| 47 | Southeastern Intensivist Services, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 14 | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| 50 | UBS Financial Services, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 13 | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| 50 | Conch Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 17 | 13 | 76.5% | 23.5% |
| 50 | UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| 50 | Spartan Solutions | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| 50 | Bricks It Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 13 | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| 55 | Quanta Manufacturing Nashville, LLC | Manufacturing | 12 | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Kenco Management Services, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 12 | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Hospital Medicine Services of TN L | Health Care and Social Assistance | 12 | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| 58 | Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems, LLC | Manufacturing; Wholesale Trade | 11 | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 58 | Cogent Med Care, P C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 58 | The Heil Company | Manufacturing | 11 | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 58 | Hospital Medicine Associates, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 58 | Verana Health, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11 | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 58 | Revance Therapeutics, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11 | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 58 | Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 11 | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 65 | Meritor Electric Vehicles, LLC | Manufacturing | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 65 | Marshall Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 12 | 10 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| 65 | Inpatient Specialists of California, P C | Educational Services; Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 65 | NY Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 65 | Hospital Medicine Services of NH L | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 65 | Gia Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 65 | Zreya Technician, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 65 | American Home Shield Corporation | Finance and Insurance | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 65 | August Bioservices, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| 74 | SVS Technologies Limited | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 74 | Cogent Healthcare of Iowa, P C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 9 | 90% | 10% |
| 74 | UT Regional One Physicians, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 9 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 74 | Middle Tennessee State University | Educational Services | 9 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 74 | Hospital Medicine Services of FL L | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 9 | 90% | 10% |
| 74 | 3avenir, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 74 | Fedex Trade Networks Transport and Brokerage, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 9 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 74 | Ameya Infotech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 74 | Envision Physician Services, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 9 | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 74 | Simaxive Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 9 | 90% | 10% |
| 84 | Specialitycare, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Health Care and Social Assistance | 8 | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 84 | SVS Technologies Limited Duns 079287817 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 84 | Cogent Healthcare of Georgia D, P C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 8 | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 84 | Syntage Technician, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | Memphis Light Gas and Water MLGW | Public Administration | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | Tror, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | East Tennessee State University | Educational Services | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | Vaco, LLC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | Huf North America Automotive Parts Manufacturing, Corp. | Manufacturing | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. | Manufacturing | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | Unique Key Resources, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | Neotek Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 88 | ABB Installation Products, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 7 | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 97 | Tennessee State University | Educational Services | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 97 | Delek US Energy, Inc. | Manufacturing | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 97 | UBS Bank USA | Finance and Insurance | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 97 | Terminix International Company LP | Management of Companies and Enterprises; Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 6 | 6 | 100% | 0% |