Of these, 1,557 were approved (98.1%), while 30 were denied (1.9%).
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 Iowa during 2024, with 551 petitions (34.7% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 97.6%. Meanwhile, the Educational Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 395 petitions (24.9% of the total), with an approval rate of 97%.
The Iowa employers with the most petitions during 2024 included The University of Iowa, which filed 207 petitions with an approval rate of 97.6%, Rockwell Collins, Inc. with 150 petitions and an approval rate of 98.7%, and Iowa State University, which filed 95 petitions with an approval rate of 95.8%.
Compared to 2023, the number of H-1B petitions filed in Iowa during 2024 increased by 5.4%.
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 | 551 | 34.7% | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| 2 | Educational Services | 395 | 24.9% | 97% | 3% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 243 | 15.3% | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 154 | 9.7% | 99.4% | 0.6% |
| 5 | Finance and Insurance | 140 | 8.8% | 99.3% | 0.7% |
| 6 | Utilities | 20 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 13 | 0.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Information | 11 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 8 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 8 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Transportation and Warehousing | 8 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 13 | Construction | 3 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Public Administration | 2 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Wholesale Trade | 2 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Iowa | Educational Services | 207 | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| Rockwell Collins, Inc. | Manufacturing | 150 | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| Iowa State University | Educational Services | 95 | 95.8% | 4.2% |
| Pioneer Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 72 | 100% | 0% |
| E-Giants Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 71 | 93% | 7% |
| Softworld Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 66 | 95.5% | 4.5% |
| Kanap Systems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | 98.1% | 1.9% |
| Inteliroute Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 51 | 100% | 0% |
| Transamerica Life Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 33 | 100% | 0% |
| Siri Consultancy Service, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 25 | 96% | 4% |
| Athene Annuity and Life Company | Finance and Insurance | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| Iowa Physicians Clinic Medical Foundation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 21 | 100% | 0% |
| Sanav Technologies, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Launch It, Corp. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 94.7% | 5.3% |
| Maharishi International University | Educational Services | 18 | 94.4% | 5.6% |
| Quality Consulting, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 17 | 94.1% | 5.9% |
| Mercyone North Iowa | Health Care and Social Assistance | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| American Technology Consulting, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Pella Corporation | Manufacturing | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Cambrex Charles City, Inc. | Manufacturing | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| VRK It Vision, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Viac Services Company | Finance and Insurance | 14 | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| Midamerican Energy Company | Utilities | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercy Clinics, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Des Moines Independent Community School District | Educational Services | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines | Finance and Insurance | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Danfoss Power Solutions US Company | Manufacturing | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Covenant Medical Center D B a, Inc. | Finance and Insurance, Health Care and Social Assistance | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Wellmark, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Northern Iowa | Educational Services | 9 | 88.9% | 11.1% |
| Trustees of Grinnell College | Educational Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Intelix Systems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| HNI Corporation | Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Great River Health System, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Employers Mutual Casualty Company | Information, Finance and Insurance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Future Foam, Inc. | Manufacturing | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Infoweb Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Eneric Petroleum Corporation | Finance and Insurance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Epathusa, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Sciplay Games, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Berkley Technology Services, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Skywalk Global, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Community CPA and Associates, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Mindzone It Solutions | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Ce | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Genesis Health System | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| Integrated DNA Technologies | Manufacturing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| CRST Expedited, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company | Finance and Insurance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Nybble Teksolutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Aegon Global Services, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Advanced Technologies Group, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Workiva, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Softversal, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| ACT Education Formerly ACT in, Corp. | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Iowa City VA Health Care System | Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| CDS Global, Inc. | Information | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Kingland Systems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Meredith Operations Corporation | Information | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mercy Hospital Cedar Rapids Iowa | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Sears Manufacturing Company | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Ringgold County Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Infinite Computing Systems, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| RDG Planning and Design, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Stanley Consultants, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Hancock County Health System | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Greater Regional Medical Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Sunhydrogen, Inc. | Utilities | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Fidelity and Guaranty Life Business Services, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Kossuth County Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Luther College | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Dordt University Incorporated | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| ACT, Inc. | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Businessolver Com, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Dee Zee, Inc. | Retail Trade | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Council Bluffs Community School District | Educational Services | 3 | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| Cedar Valley Medical Specialists, P C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Drake University | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Aegon USA Realty Advisors, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Caseys Retail Company | Retail Trade | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Agencybloc, LLC | Finance and Insurance, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Overland Sheepskin Company, Inc. | Retail Trade | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mahaska County Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Iowa Kidney Physicians, P C | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Malum, Inc. | Information, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Tmone, LLC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sioux Center Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Trans Ova Genetics L C | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| TRI Center Community School | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Distek Integration, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Catholic Health Initiatives Iowa, Corp. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Orange City Municipal Hospital D B | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| OPN, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| OPN Architects, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Itvian, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Omnivista Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| JT Logistics Solutions, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Siegwerk USA, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Kemin Industries, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |