Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
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 average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98%, slightly higher than 2023's 97.3%. Locally, employers across all industries located within the Kern County Times publication area submitted 95 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 100%.
The Health Care and Social Assistance industry led the H-1B filings in the Kern County Times publication area during 2024, with 39 petitions (41.1% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Educational Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 24 petitions (25.3% of the total), with an approval rate of 100%.
In 2024, the Kern County Times publication area employer with the most petitions categorized under the Health Care and Social Assistance sector was Clinica Sierra Vista, which filed seven petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Health Care and Social Assistance sector in the Kern County Times publication area saw a 9.3% 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 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 39 | 41.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Educational Services | 24 | 25.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 7 | 7.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 5.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Public Administration | 4 | 4.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 4 | 4.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 3.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 3.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Construction | 2 | 2.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Retail Trade | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Utilities | 1 | 1.1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Kern Unified School Distr | Educational Services | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Labminds Staffing and Recruiting | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Clinica Sierra Vista | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| California State University Bakers | Educational Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| San Joaquin Community Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ridgecrest Regional Hospital | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Omni Family Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| US Borax, Inc. | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| National Test Pilot School | Educational Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Kern County Superintendent of Schools | Public Administration | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Kern County Hospital Authority | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Wonderful Citrus Packing, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Valley Strong Credit Union | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Infusion and Clinical Services, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Dignity Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Adventist Health Delano | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley | Finance and Insurance, Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Aspect Engineering Group | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Azad Inc., D.M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Wonderful Pistachios Almonds, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Wonderful College Prep Academy | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Swanson Odell, APC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sunshine Behavioral Health Services, Inc. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Asu CRE Partners, Inc. | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sheehan Genetics, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Saekyu OH Dental Corporation, D.M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospita | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ravi Patel Inc., M.D. | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Pinnacle Emergency Physicians of Bakersfield, PC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bowe Contractors, Inc. | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| California Rail Builders, LLC | Construction | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Muroc Joint Unified School Distric | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mazzei Injector Company, LLC | Utilities | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| California State University Bakersfield | Educational Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kern Health Systems | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| CBCC Global Research, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Kavish Prajapati, Inc. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| K H Azad Professional Dental Corpo | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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