Yellowhammer Times

Employers classified under the Educational Services industry based in Alabama submitted 386 H-1B petitions during 2024, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-1B Employer Data Hub.

Of these, 380 were approved (98.4%), while six were denied (1.6%).

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%, higher than 2023's 97.3%. Statewide, Alabama employers across all industries submitted 1,137 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 97.5%.

The Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings in Alabama during 2024, with 386 petitions (34% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 98.5%. Meanwhile, the Manufacturing industry was the second largest contributor, filing 182 petitions (16% of the total), with an approval rate of 95.6%.

The Alabama employers which made the most petitions in the Educational Services sector during 2024 included University of Alabama at Birmingha with 179 petitions, Auburn University with 76 petitions, and The University of Alabama with 51 petitions.

Compared to 2023, the Educational Services sector in Alabama saw a 0.8% 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	386	34%	98.5%	1.6%
2	Manufacturing	182	16%	95.6%	4.4%
3	Health Care and Social Assistance	171	15%	99.4%	0.6%
4	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	165	14.5%	95.8%	4.2%
5	Finance and Insurance	84	7.4%	98.8%	1.2%
6	Information	70	6.2%	98.6%	1.4%
7	Wholesale Trade	18	1.6%	100%	0%
8	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	13	1.1%	61.5%	38.5%
9	Construction	10	0.9%	100%	0%
10	Retail Trade	9	0.8%	100%	0%
11	Transportation and Warehousing	8	0.7%	100%	0%
12	Other Services (except Public Administration)	7	0.6%	100%	0%
13	Accommodation and Food Services	4	0.4%	100%	0%
13	Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	4	0.4%	100%	0%
15	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	3	0.3%	100%	0%
16	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	2	0.2%	100%	0%
17	Utilities	1	0.1%	100%	0%

Rank	Company Name	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
1	University of Alabama at Birmingha	179	100%	0%
2	Auburn University	76	98.7%	1.3%
3	The University of Alabama	51	96.1%	3.9%
4	The University of Alabama in Hunts	9	100%	0%
5	University of South Alabama	8	87.5%	12.5%
6	University of Alabama at Birmingham	7	85.7%	14.3%
6	USA Healthcare Management, LLC	7	100%	0%
6	Troy University	7	100%	0%
9	Jacksonville State University	6	100%	0%
10	Tuskegee University	5	100%	0%
11	The University of Alabama in Huntsville	4	100%	0%
12	University of North Alabama	3	100%	0%
13	Talladega College	2	100%	0%
13	Faulkner University	2	100%	0%
13	University of South Alabama Health Care Authority	2	100%	0%
13	Central Alabama Community College	2	100%	0%
13	Alabama a and M University	2	100%	0%
13	University of Montevallo	2	100%	0%
19	Jefferson State Community College	1	100%	0%
19	Autauga County Board of Education	1	100%	0%
19	Stillman College	1	100%	0%
19	Alabama State University	1	100%	0%
19	Southern Union State Community College	1	100%	0%
19	Alabama a&M University	1	100%	0%
19	The University of West Alabama	1	100%	0%
19	Calhoun County Board of Education	1	100%	0%
19	Oakwood University	1	100%	0%
19	Bevill State Community College	1	100%	0%
19	Mattapally Technologoies, Inc.	1	0%	100%
19	Bering Strait School District	1	100%	0%