Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate for USCIS | https://www.dhswatchlist.com/
Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate for USCIS | https://www.dhswatchlist.com/
This represents an approval rate of 94.4%, which is lower than the nationwide average.
That year, the average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the U.S. stood at 98%, slightly higher than the 97.3% recorded in 2023. Statewide, employers in Kansas across all industries submitted 1,314 petitions during the same period, with an approval rate of 98.6%.
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 H-1B petition approvals in the Wichita Standard publication area during 2024, filing a total of 30 petitions (33.7% of all submissions) and receiving approvals for all of them. The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry followed, with 23 petitions (25.8% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 87%.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The employers that filed the most petitions in the area during 2024 included University of Kansas Medical Center with 29 petitions and all of them approved, Koch Capabilities, LLC with seven petitions and all of them approved, and Investment Management Services, LLC with six petitions filed and an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, Kansas saw a 33.3% decrease in the number of H-1B petitions 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 | 30 | 33.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 23 | 25.8% | 87% | 13% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 20 | 22.5% | 95% | 5% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 11.2% | 90% | 10% |
| 5 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2 | 2.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kansas Medical Center | Educational Services | 29 | 100% | 0% |
| Koch Capabilities, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Investment Management Services, LLC | Manufacturing | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Koch Agent and Energy Solutions, LLC | Manufacturing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Cbagllc | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 75% | 25% |
| Ascension Medical Group via Christi P a | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Flint Hills Resources LC | Manufacturing | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| GLMV Architecture, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 66.7% | 33.3% |
| Keycentrix, LLC. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Investment Nylon Chemicals Americas, LLC | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Kansas School of Medicine Wichita Medical Practice Association | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Wichita State University Intercoll | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Optimized Process Designs, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Premier Hospitalists of Kansas, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Onpoint Digital Solutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Neurology Associates of Kansas, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| LK Architecture, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rtechnosystems, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Sentient Energy, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| KS Gastroenterology, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Unified School District No 259 Sedgwick County KS | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Koch Minerals and Trading, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| KBX Logistics, LLC | Transportation and Warehousing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Heartland Cardiology, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Health Facilities Group, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Great Plains Industries, Inc. | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Georgia Pacific Consumer Products LP | Manufacturing | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Genesis Health Clubs Management, Inc. | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Flint Hills Resources LP | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Envision, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Bombardier US Aerostructures, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bhattarai Diemer Group, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Adamsbrown, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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