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/
Of these, 66 were approved (86.8%), while 10 were denied (13.2%).
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, California employers across all industries submitted 79,284 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.5%.
The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings in California during 2024, with 35,542 petitions (44.8% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 98.1%. Meanwhile, the Manufacturing industry was the second largest contributor, filing 16,698 petitions (21.1% of the total), with an approval rate of 99.1%.
The California employers which made the most petitions in the Accommodation and Food Services sector during 2024 included Jack in the Box, Inc. with six petitions, Fine Hospitality, LLC with four petitions, and Sweetgreen, Inc. with three petitions.
Compared to 2023, the Accommodation and Food Services sector in California saw a 1.3% 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 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 35,542 | 44.8% | 98.1% | 1.9% |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 16,698 | 21.1% | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| 3 | Information | 13,750 | 17.3% | 98.9% | 1.1% |
| 4 | Finance and Insurance | 4,120 | 5.2% | 98.9% | 1.1% |
| 5 | Educational Services | 3,261 | 4.1% | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| 6 | Retail Trade | 1,520 | 1.9% | 98.6% | 1.5% |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,402 | 1.8% | 97.5% | 2.5% |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 670 | 0.9% | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| 9 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 552 | 0.7% | 95.8% | 4.2% |
| 10 | Construction | 440 | 0.6% | 98.6% | 1.4% |
| 11 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 264 | 0.3% | 98.9% | 1.1% |
| 12 | Transportation and Warehousing | 222 | 0.3% | 94.6% | 5.4% |
| 13 | Utilities | 201 | 0.3% | 98.5% | 1.5% |
| 14 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 175 | 0.2% | 95.4% | 4.6% |
| 15 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 112 | 0.1% | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| 16 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 97 | 0.1% | 93.8% | 6.2% |
| 17 | Public Administration | 90 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Accommodation and Food Services | 76 | 0.1% | 86.8% | 13.2% |
| 19 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 51 | 0.1% | 96.1% | 3.9% |
| 20 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 41 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
Top Employers in Accommodation and Food Services Industry in California, 2024
| Rank | Company Name | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack in the Box, Inc. | 6 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| 2 | Fine Hospitality, LLC | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Sweetgreen, Inc. | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Cloves, LLC | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 4 | Dakshin Indian Restaurant, LLC | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 6 | H2 Big SKY, LLC | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 6 | Probiotic Labs, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Spice Route, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | ELPX, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | SDH Management, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Beijing Chef Dumpling House, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Ubatuba Acai Sherman Oaks, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Maata Kushmanda, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Gong CHA CA Franchise, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Chubby Curry Beverly Hills | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Optechon, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Shri Hari Hesperia, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Hotel Nikko of San Francisco, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Dine Brands Global, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | San Francisco Ldging, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Bagalamukhi Everest, Inc. | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 6 | TMC Resort, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Littleflower, Inc. | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 6 | Golden America, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Chandana Food Concepts, Inc. | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 6 | NR Enterprises, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Shashi Group, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Hot Pot Sacramento 1, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Dhnoodles, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Saltalk, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Aoao Hao, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Tian Fu Xiang Hotpot, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Little Sakana II, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Freezing Point Investment D B a Blossom Season Hot Pot, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Casa Elena LP | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Yang Chow Restaurant, Inc. | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 6 | Nextdish Corporation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Heritage Foods Anjappar Chettinad Indian Restaurant, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Royal Dynasty US Restaurant Management, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Acacia NPU, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | The Little Brown Box Pizza, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Kitshare, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Fortuna Enterprises LP | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Californios Hospitality Group, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Win Time at First, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Montage Laguna Beach D B a Mon, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | HDL Management USA Corporation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Dainty, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Radha Krishna, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | 665 Bush Street, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Khan Saab, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | But First Coffee, Inc. | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 6 | Vineyard Corridor Wine Country Experiences, LLC | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 6 | Monkeyplay Investment, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Haidilao Hot Pot Century City, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | CMG Strategy Company, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Proper Hospitality, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | SV Club Owner, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Kalthia Group Hotels | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | FHR San Francisco Operations D, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Shancheng Lameizi Dining Company, Ltd. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Bunbao Com, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | USA Hotel Group, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Maison Alyzee, Corp. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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