Of these, 4,237 were approved (98%), while 86 were denied (2%).
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.
For comparison, the average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98%, slightly higher than the 97.3% recorded in 2023.
The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings in Missouri during 2024, with 1,548 petitions (35.8% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 97.1%. Meanwhile, the Finance and Insurance industry was the second largest contributor, filing 812 petitions (18.8% of the total), with an approval rate of 99.6%.
The Missouri employers with the most petitions during 2024 included Washington University in St. Louis, which filed 334 petitions with an approval rate of 99.1%, Cigna Evernorth Services, Inc. with 332 petitions and an approval rate of 99.4%, and Charter Communications, Inc., which filed 327 petitions with an approval rate of 98.8%.
Compared to 2023, the number of H-1B petitions filed in Missouri during 2024 increased by 3.9%.
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 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,548 | 35.8% | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| 2 | Finance and Insurance | 812 | 18.8% | 99.6% | 0.4% |
| 3 | Educational Services | 751 | 17.4% | 98% | 2% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 373 | 8.6% | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| 5 | Information | 359 | 8.3% | 98.6% | 1.4% |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 210 | 4.9% | 98.1% | 1.9% |
| 7 | Construction | 59 | 1.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 33 | 0.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Retail Trade | 28 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 17 | 0.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Transportation and Warehousing | 14 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Accommodation and Food Services | 13 | 0.3% | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| 12 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 13 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Utilities | 11 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 10 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 8 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 3 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Public Administration | 3 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington University in St. Louis | Educational Services, Manufacturing | 334 | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| Cigna Evernorth Services, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 332 | 99.4% | 0.6% |
| Charter Communications, Inc. | Information | 327 | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| Mastercard Technologies, LLC | Information, Finance and Insurance, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 250 | 99.6% | 0.4% |
| The Curators of the University of Missouri | Educational Services | 219 | 98.2% | 1.8% |
| Perficient, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 125 | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| Centene Management Company, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 117 | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| Burns and Mcdonnell Engineering Company, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 86 | 100% | 0% |
| Amdocs, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 66 | 98.5% | 1.5% |
| Bayer Research and Development Services, LLC | Manufacturing, Information, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 62 | 100% | 0% |
| World Wide Technology Holding Company, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 51 | 100% | 0% |
| Devoir Software Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 49 | 93.9% | 6.1% |
| Saint Louis University | Educational Services | 46 | 95.7% | 4.3% |
| RGA Enterprise Services Company | Finance and Insurance | 45 | 100% | 0% |
| Hellmuth Obata and Kassabaum, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 43 | 95.3% | 4.7% |
| Geminisoft Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 41 | 100% | 0% |
| The Childrens Mercy Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 40 | 100% | 0% |
| SSM Health Care Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 37 | 100% | 0% |
| HNTB Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 34 | 100% | 0% |
| Vitesse Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 34 | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| Telecom Technology Services, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 33 | 97% | 3% |
| Pro It, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 30 | 96.7% | 3.3% |
| Blueribbon Global Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 30 | 93.3% | 6.7% |
| Bayer U S, LLC | Manufacturing | 28 | 96.4% | 3.6% |
| HRB Professional Resources, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 28 | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| Clayco, Inc. | Construction, Manufacturing | 27 | 100% | 0% |
| Vintech Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 27 | 92.6% | 7.4% |
| Ascension Health Is, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 26 | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| Sovereign Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 26 | 100% | 0% |
| Inspirix Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 22 | 77.3% | 22.7% |
| Tek Global, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 21 | 81% | 19% |
| Climate, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Barnes Jewish Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Bayer Cropscience LP | Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercy Clinic East Communities | Health Care and Social Assistance | 18 | 94.4% | 5.6% |
| Lester E Cox Medical Centers | Health Care and Social Assistance | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Stowers Institute for Medical Research | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Lumeris Group Holdings Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercy Clinic Springfield Communities | Health Care and Social Assistance | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| High Quartile, LLC | Information, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Transystems Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| MHM Support Services | Health Care and Social Assistance | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| I3globaltech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Prospect Infosystem, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 93.3% | 6.7% |
| Tetrasoft, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Securenet Systems Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 73.3% | 26.7% |
| Satya Soft Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 80% | 20% |
| Gemini Consulting and Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| UMB Bank, NA | Finance and Insurance | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Missouri State University | Educational Services | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Pi Labs, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| A T Still University of Health Sciences | Educational Services | 13 | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| Motive It Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Luke S Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Colaberry, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| Ki Infosystems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Skill Voice, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Ascension Health Alliance | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Frontier Schools, Inc. | Educational Services | 12 | 91.7% | 8.3% |
| Seven Seas Technologies D B a, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Saint Luke S Health System | Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| SSM Health Care St. Louis | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Hanuhigh Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11 | 81.8% | 18.2% |
| Hannibal Regional Healthcare System, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Southeast Missouri State University | Educational Services | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Mccarthy Building Companies, Inc. | Construction | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Nidec Motor Corporation | Manufacturing | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Softdata, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Populous Group, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Neteffects, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Hussmann Corporation | Manufacturing | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Louis Children S Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Anheuser Busch, LLC | Manufacturing | 10 | 90% | 10% |
| Ibrain Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Nestle Regional Globe Office North America, Inc. | Manufacturing | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Gerbera Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Unikpros, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| DST Health Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| DST Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Louis Language Immersion Schools, Inc. | Educational Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Arco Murray National Construction Company, Inc. | Construction | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Aryan It and Financial Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Technician Talent Connect, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Aclara Technologies, LLC | Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Jack Henry and Associates, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 88.9% | 11.1% |
| Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc. | Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Veterans United Home Loans | Finance and Insurance | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Academic Lafayette | Educational Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Northwest Missouri State University | Educational Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| N2 Cloud Technician, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Kansas City Southern Railway Company | Transportation and Warehousing | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Belden, Inc. | Manufacturing | 8 | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| Novo Proso, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Resource America Information Techn | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Brewer Science, Inc. | Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Ameren Services Company | Utilities | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Fast N Friendly, LLC | Accommodation and Food Services | 7 | 85.7% | 14.3% |
| Compass Health, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Valorem, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Bunzl Distribution USA, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 7 | 100% | 0% |