Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/meet-the-dhs-digital-service-champions-may-2018-caee7dade2b
Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/meet-the-dhs-digital-service-champions-may-2018-caee7dade2b
This represents an approval rate of 100%, which is on par with the average in Hawaii across all industries.
That year, the statewide average approval rate for H-1B petitions stood at 100%, slightly higher than 2023's 96.8%. Across the publication area, employers across all industries submitted 148 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 100%.
For comparison, the U.S. reported an average approval rate of 98% in 2024.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
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 Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings in Honolulu Reporter publication area during 2024, with 61 petitions (41.2% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Health Care and Social Assistance industry was the second largest contributor, filing 24 petitions (16.2% of the total), with an approval rate of 100%.
The employers in the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services sector in Honolulu Reporter publication area included Tidy Daily, Inc. with two petitions, Altres, Inc., and Altres, Inc. with one petition each during 2024.
Compared to 2023, the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services sector saw a 300% increase in the number of H-1B petitions across Honolulu Reporter publication area 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 | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Educational Services | 61 | 41.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 24 | 16.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Construction | 23 | 15.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 8.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Transportation and Warehousing | 6 | 4.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 2.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3 | 2% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 2% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 3 | 2% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaii | Educational Services | 57 | 100% | 0% |
| Nan, Inc. | Construction | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Kapi Olani Medical Specialists | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Queens University Medical Group | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Su-MO Builders, Inc. | Construction | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Hitachi Rail Honolulu JV | Manufacturing, Transportation and Warehousing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Hawai I Pacific University | Educational Services | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Pacific Anesthesia, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| HI Emergency Physicians Association, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hawaii Kidney Specialists, LLP | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| The Queens Medical Center | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Tidy Daily, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| A American Custom Flooring, Inc. | Construction | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Brigham Young University Hawaii | Educational Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Bishop Museum | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Waianae District Comp Health and HSPTL | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Altres, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| A Team Pacific Roofing, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mohala Pua School | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| World Sake Imports, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pacific Buddhist Academy | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pacific Financial Management, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pacific Forum International | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Par Petroleum, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Prowork Pacific, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Waikiki Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| SSFM International, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Hawaii Foundation | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Trustees Estate Bernice P Bishop | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| The Wahiawa Center for Community H | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Amethyst Builders, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Architects Hawaii, Ltd. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Central Pacific Bank | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Charlie Y Sonido Inc., M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Chinese Language Learning Center | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Community Planning and Engineering, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Consumertrack, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| First Hawaiian Bank | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hawaii Nephrologists, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| International Archaeological Resea | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| JBC Engineering and Construction, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kokua Geotech, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lddi, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Maloha Group, Corp. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Marketplace Software, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Martin, Chock and Carden, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcyia, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| MGA Architecture, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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