Equality State News

Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Dep, an employer classified under the Public Administration industry based in Wyoming submitted one H-1B petition during 2024, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-1B Employer Data Hub.

The only petition submitted in the period was approved.

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, Wyoming employers across all industries submitted 218 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 89.5%.

While the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings with 118 petitions, representing 54.1% of all submissions in Wyoming during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Educational Services industry, which accounted for 48 petitions and represented 22% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Educational Services industry, 104 were approved and 14 were denied.

Compared to 2023, the Public Administration sector in Wyoming saw an increase 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	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	118	54.1%	88.1%	11.9%
2	Educational Services	48	22%	97.9%	2.1%
3	Health Care and Social Assistance	18	8.3%	100%	0%
4	Information	7	3.2%	100%	0%
5	Finance and Insurance	6	2.8%	0%	100%
6	Manufacturing	5	2.3%	80%	20%
6	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	5	2.3%	100%	0%
8	Wholesale Trade	3	1.4%	100%	0%
9	Utilities	2	0.9%	100%	0%
9	Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	2	0.9%	100%	0%
11	Other Services (except Public Administration)	1	0.5%	0%	100%
11	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	1	0.5%	100%	0%
11	Management of Companies and Enterprises	1	0.5%	100%	0%
11	Public Administration	1	0.5%	100%	0%

Rank	Company Name	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
1	Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Dep	1	100%	0%