For the fourth consecutive year, the H-1B cap has been reached within the first 5 business days of April. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) having received 236,000 petitions this year, with only 85,000 to be selected. For some, the increased interest in working in the United States is a sign of the country’s robust economy, the alluring nature of its companies, and the solidifying of its reputation as an incubator of innovation. For others, the H-1B process is a frustrating hurdle to overcome in their pursuit of both professional and personal development. H-1B hopefuls are left wondering why a country in desperate need of workers with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills would shut the door on many valuable potential employees, while employers find themselves in limbo, waiting to see if vital positions will be able to be filled through the H-1B program.
On March 31, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) released some interesting statistics regarding H-1B visas for the fiscal year 2016. While many anxiously await their results in the H-1B lottery, now is an opportune time to take a closer look at these statistics, and to find out where in the country the majority of H-1B visas are being distributed, in what professions, and to what companies.
Top 5 States for H-1B Employment
1. California is home to 157,073 people on H-1B visas, representing 19% of the available visas
2. Texas is home to 83,945 people on H-1B visas, representing 10.2% of available visas
3. New York is home to 69,383 people on H-1B visas, representing 8.4% of available visas
4. New Jersey is home to 56,635 people on H-1B visas, representing 6.9% of available visas
5. Pennsylvania is home to 51,919 people, representing 6.3% of available visas
Top 5 Positions for H-1B Visas
1. Computer systems analysts account for 207,163 positions, representing 25.1% of awarded H-1B visas
2. Software application developers account for 120,413 positions, representing 14.6% of awarded H-1B visas
3. Computer programmers account for 80,522 positions, representing 9.8% of awarded H-1B visas
4. All other computer occupations account for 65,116 positions, representing 7.9% of awarded H-1B visas
5. Software developers account for 48,047 positions, representing 5.8% of awarded visas
Top 5 H-1B Employers
1. Deloitte Consulting, LLP employs 79,291 workers on H-1B visas, accounting for 9.6% of awarded visas
2. Cognizant Technology Solutions U.S. Corp. employs 64,118 workers on H-1B visas, accounting for 7.8% of awarded visas
3. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP employs 27,340 workers on H-1B visas, accounting for 3.3% of awarded visas
4. Wipro Limited employs 26,716 workers on H-1B visas, accounting for 3.3% of awarded visas
5. Apple, Inc. employs 20,523 workers on H-1B visas, accounting for 2.5 % of awarded visas
At GoffWilson, we too are eager to learn the results of our clients in the H-1B lottery, and we hope every single one of them is lucky this year. Sadly, the reality is that some of them won’t be lucky, but the good news is that there’s more than one path toward a H-1B visa (click
here to learn about some of the potential alternate pathways). We at GoffWilson pride ourselves on our specialized and personalized service that deals directly with the unique concerns of our clients, and with over 30 years experience in immigration law we understand the ins and outs of the H-1B visa and the H-1B visa process. If you feel you may qualify for a cap exempt H-1B visa, and are interested in exploring the avenue further, contact us
here. We’d be happy to help!