Of these, 1,737 were approved (99.2%), while 14 were denied (0.8%).
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 Retail Trade industry led the H-1B filings in Rhode Island during 2024, with 750 petitions (42.8% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 99.2%. Meanwhile, the Finance and Insurance industry was the second largest contributor, filing 379 petitions (21.6% of the total), with an approval rate of 99.7%.
The Rhode Island employers with the most petitions during 2024 included Caremark, LLC, which filed 383 petitions with an approval rate of 99.7%, Aetna Resources, LLC with 313 petitions and an approval rate of 99.7%, and CVS Pharmacy, Inc., which filed 305 petitions with an approval rate of 99.3%.
Compared to 2023, the number of H-1B petitions filed in Rhode Island during 2024 decreased by 7%.
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 | 750 | 42.8% | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| 2 | Finance and Insurance | 379 | 21.6% | 99.7% | 0.3% |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 139 | 7.9% | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| 4 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 136 | 7.8% | 99.3% | 0.7% |
| 5 | Educational Services | 121 | 6.9% | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 102 | 5.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 47 | 2.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Construction | 13 | 0.7% | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| 9 | Information | 11 | 0.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Wholesale Trade | 8 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 6 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Transportation and Warehousing | 4 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 13 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 2 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Public Administration | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caremark, LLC | Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade | 383 | 99.7% | 0.3% |
| Aetna Resources, LLC | Retail Trade, Information, Finance and Insurance, Real Estate and Rental and Leasing, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 313 | 99.7% | 0.3% |
| CVS Pharmacy, Inc. | Retail Trade | 305 | 99.3% | 0.7% |
| Citizens Financial Group, Inc. | Information, Management of Companies and Enterprises | 139 | 99.3% | 0.7% |
| Brown University | Educational Services | 70 | 98.6% | 1.4% |
| Medidata Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 68 | 98.5% | 1.5% |
| CVS RX Services, Inc. | Retail Trade | 62 | 95.2% | 4.8% |
| Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Inc. | Manufacturing | 29 | 100% | 0% |
| Lifespan Physician Group, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| Factory Mutual Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 21 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Rhode Island | Educational Services | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Syscons Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| Amica Mutual Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Aetna Medicaid Administrators, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Procare Pharmacy, LLC | Retail Trade | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Affinity Physicians, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Rhode Island Hospital | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Signify Health, Inc. | Finance and Insurance, Health Care and Social Assistance | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Brown Medicine | Health Care and Social Assistance | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Gilbane Building Company | Construction | 9 | 88.9% | 11.1% |
| Dassault Systemes Simulia, Corp. | Information, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Personify Health | Finance and Insurance | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island | Finance and Insurance | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Providence College | Educational Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| IGT Global Solutions Corporation | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Bryant University | Educational Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| The Providence Community Health Centers | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Busitants Incorporated | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 80% | 20% |
| Narragansett Bay Anesthesia, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Johnson and Wales University | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Regent Craft, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Rhode Island Colege | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island | Finance and Insurance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Roger Williams University | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Lightspeed Pos USA, Inc. | Wholesale Trade, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| Smartapp.com, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Gilbane Federal | Construction | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Prospect Chartercare Physicians LL | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Brown Neurology | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Pharmaron Manufacturing Services US, LLC | Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Thundermist Health Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Virgin Pulse, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Ocean State Veterinary Specialists | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| It1stop, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Lifespan Corporation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| NWN Corporation | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Rise Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Senesco Marine, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Seven Hills Rhode Island, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Software Quality Associates DB, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Splitwise, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Stonewall Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Taknor Apex Company | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| The Miriam Hospital | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Wellpartner, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Windmoeller and Hoelscher Corporat | Wholesale Trade | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Aetna International, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Coastal Medical Physicians, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Comprehensive Community Action, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Forensic Risk Alliance, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| AIPSO | Finance and Insurance, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Starburst Labs, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Srilu Information Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Squadlocker, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Spouting Rock Beach Association | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| Blue Moon Industries, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Boskalis Offshore Contracting, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Social Enterprise Greenhouse | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Brewster Thornton Group Architects, LLP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Silver Fern Practice, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Brown Dermatology | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Shubhlakshmi, Corp. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bruin Plastics Company, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cardiovascular Institute of New En | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rxvantage, Inc. | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nephrology Associates, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 02908 Holdco, LLC | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| ACS Industries, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Texas at Arlington | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Affiliated FM Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Union Studio Architecture and Community | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Traverse Landscape Architects, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Asia Restaurants, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Astronova, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Granny Squibb Company, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The French American School of Rhode Island | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Chanler, Inc. | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Beacon Mutual Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tedor Pharma, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Avtech Software, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Taco Group Holdings, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Betworks US, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Blount Boats, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| GVK It, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Nabsys 2 0, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Miedu Group, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mehran Javid - RI Dental Ltd., D.M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hands in Harmony, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Medicine and Long Term Care Associates, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |