Of these, 4,337 were approved (98.6%), while 63 were denied (1.4%).
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 Arkansas during 2024, with 3,403 petitions (77.3% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 99.2%. Meanwhile, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 409 petitions (9.3% of the total), with an approval rate of 95.8%.
The Arkansas employers with the most petitions during 2024 included Wal Mart Associates, Inc., which filed 3,404 petitions with an approval rate of 99.2%, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with 98 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and JB Hunt Transport, Inc., which filed 78 petitions with an approval rate of 98.7%.
Compared to 2023, the number of H-1B petitions filed in Arkansas during 2024 increased by 26.5%.
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 | 3,403 | 77.3% | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 409 | 9.3% | 95.8% | 4.2% |
| 3 | Educational Services | 227 | 5.2% | 97.4% | 2.6% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 105 | 2.4% | 96.2% | 3.8% |
| 5 | Transportation and Warehousing | 76 | 1.7% | 97.4% | 2.6% |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 50 | 1.1% | 98% | 2% |
| 7 | Information | 40 | 0.9% | 85% | 15% |
| 8 | Finance and Insurance | 31 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Public Administration | 15 | 0.3% | 93.3% | 6.7% |
| 10 | Wholesale Trade | 7 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Construction | 4 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 13 | Accommodation and Food Services | 2 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Utilities | 1 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wal Mart Associates, Inc. | Retail Trade, Wholesale Trade | 3,404 | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | Educational Services | 98 | 100% | 0% |
| JB Hunt Transport, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 78 | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| University of Arkansas | Educational Services | 59 | 98.3% | 1.7% |
| Gainwell Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 57 | 100% | 0% |
| Federal Soft Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 52 | 92.3% | 7.7% |
| Invincible Technician Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 42 | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| Acxiom, LLC | Information | 31 | 83.9% | 16.1% |
| Tyson Foods, Inc. | Manufacturing | 22 | 100% | 0% |
| Valuepro, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 22 | 90.9% | 9.1% |
| Protech Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 21 | 100% | 0% |
| Kitestring Consulting, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Arcbest Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Cloud Centric, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| AMS It Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| Little Scholars of Arkansas | Educational Services | 14 | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| National Soft Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 84.6% | 15.4% |
| University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Educational Services | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Big River Steel, LLC | Manufacturing | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Bank OZK | Finance and Insurance | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Usable Mutual Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Arkansas Health Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 9 | 88.9% | 11.1% |
| Novustech, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Arkansas State University | Educational Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Simmons Bank | Finance and Insurance | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Vincent Medical Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Quality Global Service, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Superintendent of Marion School District | 8 | 100% | 0% | |
| Aegis Therapies, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 8 | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| Mercy Clinic Fort Smith Communities | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Baptist Health Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Garver, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| First Soft Systems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 71.4% | 28.6% |
| Abco Computers, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 71.4% | 28.6% |
| Mississippi County Hospital System | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| Jefferson Hospital Association, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| First Orion, Corp. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Aariv Technologies, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Southern Arkansas University | Educational Services | 6 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| State of Arkansas - Administrative | Public Administration | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Unique Logic Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Vidha It Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 60% | 40% |
| St. Bernards Hospital, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Apex Advisory, LLC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, Retail Trade, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Good One It Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Hope Public School District | Educational Services | 4 | 75% | 25% |
| University of Central Arkansas | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Arkansas Department of Public Safety | Public Administration | 4 | 75% | 25% |
| Libertycom, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System | Public Administration | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Baxter County Regional Hospital, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Blytheville School District No 5 | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Camden Fairview School District | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Tecsource International, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Kee Technologies Group, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| K Tek Soft, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Superintendent of Osceola Public Schools | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Simmons Prepared Foods, Inc. | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Pearlsoft Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| FTN Associates, Ltd. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Welspun Pipes, Inc. | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| White River Health System, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Baptist Health Services | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Arkansas Children'S Research Institute | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Continental Utility Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Fidus Global, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| University of the Ozarks | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| John Brown University | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Arkansas Childrens | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Kiswire Pine Bluff, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Lyon College | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mavis Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Teslac It Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Supplypike, Inc. | Information | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Philander Smith College | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Arkansas Surgical Hospital, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Brinkley School District | Educational Services | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| Select Jarvis, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Scope Retail Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Acoustic L P | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| WH AR Dental, PLLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Westrock Beverage Company, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Vrpro It, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| E Ritter Communications Holdings, LLC | Information | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Inteliblue, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Jack Stephens Heart Institute, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Dream and Rise Associates, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Arkansas - Pulaski T | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Arkansas Renal Group P a | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Stout Stuff, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Stephens, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Westrock Coffee Roasting, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Arcbest II, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Arkansas Technician University | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Atek Automation, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Marys Physician Services, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| St. Bernards Physician Clinics, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |