Characteristics of H-1B Specialty 

Occupation Workers

Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report to Congress 

October 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014

February 26, 2015

U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services
i

Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

 Washington, DC 20528

Foreword

February 26, 2015

On behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, I am pleased to present the following report, 

“Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers” for Fiscal Year 2013, prepared by U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

Pursuant to statutory requirements, this report is being provided to the following Members of 

Congress:

The Honorable Charles Grassley

Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee

The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy

Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee

The Honorable Robert W. Goodlatte

Chairman, House Judiciary Committee

The Honorable John Conyers, Jr.

Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee

Inquiries relating to this report may be directed to me at (202) 447-5890.

Respectfully,

Brian de Vallance

Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs
ii

Executive Summary

The American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA), 

Pub. L. No. 105-277, div. C, tit. IV § 416(c)(2), 112 Stat. 2681, imposes annual reporting 

requirements on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) concerning the countries of 

origin and occupations of, educational levels attained by, and compensation paid to, aliens who 

were issued visas or otherwise provided nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) 

of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) during the previous fiscal year (FY).

To fulfill this requirement, USCIS submits the following report for FY 2014, October 1, 2013–

September 30, 2014.

Highlights

 The number of H-1B petitions filed increased 6 percent from 299,467 in FY 2013 to 

318,824 in FY 2014.

 The number of H-1B petitions approved increased 10 percent from 286,773 in FY 2013

to 315,857 in FY 2014.

1

 Seventy-two percent of H-1B petitions approved in FY 2014 were for workers between 

the ages of 25 and 34.

 Forty-five percent of H-1B petitions approved in FY 2014 were for workers with a 

bachelor’s degree, 43 percent had a master’s degree, 8 percent had a doctorate, and 

4 percent were for workers with a professional degree.

 Sixty-five percent of H-1B petitions approved in FY 2014 were for workers in computerrelated occupations.

 The median salary of beneficiaries of approved petitions increased from $72,000 for FY

2013 to $75,000 for FY 2014.

 

1 This number does not reflect approval versus denial rates, but rather shows the number of approved petitions 

overall this year versus the number approved last year. The figures for Fiscal Year 2014 include 57,410 

petitions which were received prior to Fiscal Year 2014, but were approved in Fiscal Year 2014 (see footnote 

11). 
iii

Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers

Table of Contents

I. Legislative Requirement.......................................................................................................... 1

II. Background ............................................................................................................................. 2

III. Data Report ............................................................................................................................. 4

 Section 3.1 – General distribution of petitions....................................................................... 4

 Section 3.2 – Distribution of petitions by country of birth..................................................... 6

 Section 3.3 – General distribution of petitions by age............................................................ 9

 Section 3.4 – Distribution of petitions by education .............................................................. 9

 Section 3.5 – Distribution of petitions by occupation.............................................................11

 Section 3.6 – Distribution of petitions by annual compensation ............................................16

 Section 3.7 – Distribution of petitions by industry.................................................................19

IV. Appendices .............................................................................................................................22

A. H-1B petition processing ..................................................................................................22

B. Data Limitations................................................................................................................22

 
1

I. Legislative Requirement

Section 416(c)(2) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998

(ACWIA), Pub. L. No. 105-277, div. C, tit. IV, 112 Stat. 2681, includes the following reporting 

requirement:2

[T]he Attorney General3shall submit on an annual basis, to the Committees on the 

Judiciary of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate, information on 

the countries of origin and occupations of, educational levels attained by, and 

compensation paid to, aliens who were issued visas or otherwise provided nonimmigrant 

status under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act during 

the previous fiscal year.

 

2

Sections 416(c)(1) and (3) of ACWIA, Pub. L. No. 105-277, div. C, tit. IV, 112 Stat. 2681, require the submission 

of data on the number of aliens issued visas or otherwise provided nonimmigrant status pursuant to petitions filed by 

institutions or organizations described in section 212(p) of the INA. This data is included in the “Report on H1B 

Petitions” for Fiscal Year 2014. 

3 As of March 1, 2003, in accordance with section 1517 of Title XV of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA), 

Pub. L. No. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135, any reference to the Attorney General in a provision of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act describing functions which were transferred from the Attorney General or other Department of 

Justice official to the Department of Homeland Security by the HSA “shall be deemed to refer to the Secretary” of 

Homeland Security. See 6 USC 557 (2003) (codifying HSA, Title XV, § 1517).
2

II. Background

An H-1B temporary worker is an alien admitted to the United States to perform services in a 

“specialty occupation.”4

The H-1B nonimmigrant classification is a vehicle through which a qualified alien may seek 

admission to the United States on a temporary basis to work in his or her field of expertise. An 

H-1B petition can be filed for an alien to perform services in a specialty occupation, services of 

an exceptional nature relating to a Department of Defense (DOD) cooperative research and 

development project or coproduction project, or services of distinguished merit and ability in the 

field of fashion modeling. Prior to employing an H-1B temporary worker, the U.S. employer 

must first file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with Department of Labor (DOL) and then 

file an H-1B petition with USCIS.5 The LCA specifies the job, salary, length, and geographic 

location of employment. The employer must agree to pay the alien the greater of the actual or 

prevailing wage for the position.

To qualify as a specialty occupation, the position must meet one of the following requirements: 

(1) a bachelor’s or higher degree or its equivalent is normally the minimum entry requirement for 

the position; (2) the degree requirement is common to the industry in parallel positions among 

similar organizations or, in the alternative, the position is so complex or unique that it can be 

performed only by an individual with a degree; (3) the employer normally requires a degree or its 

equivalent for the position; or (4) the nature of the specific duties is so specialized and complex 

that the knowledge required to perform the duties is usually associated with attainment of a 

bachelor’s or higher degree. See 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A). 

In order to perform services in a specialty occupation, an alien must meet one of the following 

criteria: (1) hold a U.S. bachelor’s or higher degree as required by the specialty occupation from 

an accredited college or university; (2) possess a foreign degree determined to be equivalent to a 

U.S. bachelor’s or higher degree as required by the specialty occupation from an accredited 

college or university; (3) have any required license or other official permission to practice the 

occupation (for example, architect, surveyor, physical therapist) in the state in which 

employment is sought; or (4) have education, specialized training, or progressively responsible 

experience (or a combination thereof) that is equivalent to completion of a U.S. bachelor’s 

degree or higher in the specialty occupation, and have recognition of expertise through 

progressively responsible positions directly related to the specialty occupation. See 8 CFR 

214.2(h)(4)(iii)(C). Specialty occupations may include, but are not limited to, computer systems 

analysts and programmers, physicians, professors, engineers, and accountants. See 8 CFR 

214.2(h)(4)(ii).

 

4

Section 214(i)(1) of the INA, 8 USC 1184(i)(1), defines a specialty occupation as “an occupation that requires—

(A) theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge, and (B) attainment of a 

bachelor’s or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum for entry into the occupation in 

the United States.” 

5 An LCA is not required for petitions involving DOD cooperative research and development projects or 

coproduction projects. 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(vi)(A)(2). 
3

Although USCIS is responsible for evaluating an alien’s qualifications for the H-1B 

classification and effecting a change of nonimmigrant status for aliens already in the United 

States in another nonimmigrant classification, approval of an H-1B petition does not guarantee 

issuance of an H-1B visa or admission to the United States in H-1B status. The responsibility 

for visa issuance rests primarily with U.S. Department of State (DOS), which determines 

whether a prospective alien employee is eligible for issuance of a visa at a U.S. Embassy or 

Consulate abroad after the H-1B petition has been approved by USCIS. Determinations of 

whether to admit an alien in H-1B status are made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

(CBP) at a port-of-entry. Possession of a visa does not guarantee admission.

An alien generally may be admitted to the United States in H-1B status for a maximum period of 

six years, see INA 214(g)(4); however, each H-1B petition may only be approved for a 

maximum period of three years.

6 See 8 CFR 214.2(h)(9)(iii)(A)(1). The H-1B petition may be 

used to sponsor an alien for an initial period of H-1B employment or to extend or change the 

authorized stay of an alien previously admitted to the United States in H-1B status or another 

nonimmigrant status. An employer may file the petition to sponsor an alien who currently has 

H-1B nonimmigrant status working for another employer or amend a previously approved 

petition. Therefore, the total number of approved petitions in any given fiscal year may exceed 

the actual number of aliens who are provided nonimmigrant status in the H-1B classification. At 

the end of the six-year period, the alien must either change to a different status (if eligible) or 

depart the United States, unless otherwise exempt.

7 USCIS regulations provide that an alien who 

has resided and been physically present outside the United States for at least one year may be 

eligible for a new six-year period of admission in H-1B status. See 8 CFR 214.2(h)(13)(iii)(A). 

When the H-1B category was enacted in 1990, Congress set a maximum of 65,000 aliens who 

could be issued H-1B visas or otherwise provided H-1B status during each fiscal year. This 

limitation, commonly referred to as the “H-1B cap,” does not apply to H-1B petitions filed on 

behalf of certain aliens who have previously been counted against the cap. Thus, generally, a 

petition to extend an H-1B nonimmigrant’s period of stay, change the conditions of the H-1B 

nonimmigrant’s current employment, or request new H-1B employment for an H-1B worker 

already in the United States will not count against the H-1B fiscal year cap. An approved 

petition for initial employment is also exempt from the cap if the petitioner is an institution of 

higher education or nonprofit entity affiliated with or related to an institution of higher 

education, or if the petitioner is a nonprofit research organization or governmental research 

organization. See INA 214(g)(5)(A)-(B), 8 USC 1184(g)(5)(A)-(B).

The Immigration Act of 1990, ACWIA, and the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first 

Century Act of 2000 (AC21), made significant changes to policy and procedure governing the 

 

6 An alien involved in DOD cooperative research and development projects or coproduction projects may be 

admitted to the United States in H-1B status for a maximum period of ten years, see 8 CFR 214.2(h)(13)(iii)(B); 

however, the H-1B petition may only be approved for a maximum period of five years. See 8 CFR 

214.2(h)(9)(iii)(A)(2).

7 Certain aliens are exempt from the 6-year maximum period of admission under the provisions of the American 

Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000 (AC21), Pub. L. No. 106-313, 114 Stat. 1251. 
4

H-1B classification, including providing temporary increases in the fiscal year limitations on the 

number of aliens who may be issued H-1B visas or otherwise provided H-1B status and 

providing certain exemptions to these limitations. Under ACWIA, the annual ceiling was 

increased from 65,000 to 115,000 in FYs 1999 and 2000 and to 107,500 in FY 2001. AC21 

raised the limit in FY 2001, FY 2002, and FY 2003 to 195,000. Starting in FY 2004, the H-1B 

cap reverted to 65,000 per fiscal year and remains at that level.8 These statutory provisions also 

provided for certain exemptions from the fiscal year H-1B cap, as described above. The H-1B 

Visa Reform Act of 2004 mandated that up to 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of aliens with 

U.S.-earned master’s or higher degrees will be exempt from each fiscal year’s H-1B cap. See

INA 214(g)(5)(C), 8 USC 1184(g)(5)(C).

III. Data Report

Section 3.1 – General distribution of petitions

During FY 2014, USCIS approved 315,857 H-1B petitions submitted by employers on behalf of 

alien workers. The number of approved petitions exceeds the number of individual H-1B 

workers sponsored because of the different types of petitions that can be filed (e.g., requests for 

concurrent employment with another employer, requests for extension of stay, amended 

petitions). 

Table 1 shows for FYs 2011 to 2014 the number of petitions filed for initial and continuing 

employment and the number of petitions approved for initial and continuing employment. Of the 

petitions approved in 2014, a total of 124,326 petitions, or 39 percent, were for initial 

employment.9 The corresponding number of petitions for continuing employment was 191,531.

10

 

A worker may have had a second (or subsequent) petition filed on his or her behalf to: 1) extend 

the period allowed to work with their current employer; 2) notify USCIS of changes in the 

conditions of employment, including a change of employer; or 3) request concurrent H-1B status 

with another employer.

 

8 Each fiscal year, up to 1,400 H-1B visa numbers are set aside for nationals of Chile and up to 5,400 are set aside 

for nationals of Singapore under the provisions of free trade agreements between the U.S. and each country. See

INA 214(g)(8)(B)(ii), 8 USC 1184(g)(8)(B)(ii). In addition, there is a limit of no more than 100 aliens in the U.S. at 

any time performing services in a DOD cooperative research and development projects or coproduction projects. 

See 8 CFR 214.2(h)(8)(i)(B).

9 The terms “initial employment” and “continuing employment” are used throughout this report to identify two types 

of petitions. Petitions for initial employment are filed for first-time H-1B employment with an employer, only some 

of which are applied to the annual cap. Examples of petitions for initial employment that are exempt from the cap 

include petitions submitted by nonprofit research organizations or governmental research organizations. Continuing 

employment petitions refer to extensions, sequential employment, and concurrent employment, which are filed for 

aliens already in the United States. Extensions generally are filed for H-1B workers intending to work beyond the 

initial 3-year period up to a total of six years, the maximum period generally permissible under law. Sequential 

employment refers to petitions for workers transferring between H-1B employers within the 6-year period. Finally, 

petitions for concurrent employment are filed for H-1B workers intending to work simultaneously for an additional

H-1B employer.

10 Neither AC21 nor prior legislation established a cap on H-1B petitions for continuing employment.
5

The number of H-1B petitions filed increased 6 percent and petitions approved increased by 10

percent between FYs 2013 and 2014. For initial employment, petitions filed decreased 2 percent

and petitions approved decreased by 3 percent. Petitions filed for continuing employment 

increased 13 percent and petitions approved increased by 21 percent.

Table 1. H-1B Petitions Filed and Approved by Type of Petition:

FYs 2011 to 2014

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014

Petitions filed 267,654 307,713 299,467 318,824

 Initial Employment 114,529 155,292 130,034 127,205

 Continuing Employment 153,125 152,421 169,433 191,619

Petitions approved11 269,653 262,569 286,773 315,857

 Initial Employment 106,445 136,890 128,291 124,326

 Continuing Employment 163,208 125,679 158,482 191,531

Table 2 shows the number of H-1B petitions filed by quarter in FYs 2011 to 2014. More than 

eighty-one percent of filings for initial employment occurred in the third quarter of FY 2014, 

when the cap-subject petition filing season opened. Sixty-one percent of filings for continuing 

employment were received in the third and fourth quarters of FY 2014. 

Table 2. H-1B Petitions Filed by Quarter:

FYs 2011 to 2014

Quarter FY

2011

FY

2012

FY

2013

FY

2014

FY 2014

Initial

Employment

Percent

of Total

FY 2014

Continuing

Employment

Percent

of Total

Total 267,654 307,713 299,467 318,824 127,205 100 191,619 100

October-December 55,781 65,186 40,048 45,211 6,681 5.3 38,530 20.1

January-March 44,995 36,217 39,433 42,781 7,221 5.7 35,560 18.6

April-June 86,716 150,104 159,380 158,623 103,473 81.3 55,150 28.8

July-September 80,162 56,206 60,606 72,709 9,830 7.7 62,379 32.6

Note: Sum of the percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.

 

11 These figures represent all approved petitions during the respective fiscal year, irrespective of whether the petition 

was filed in the same or in a previous fiscal year. To illustrate, in FY 2014, USCIS received 318,824, but approved 

315,857 petitions. Of the 315,857 petitions that were approved, 258,447 were received in FY 2014, whereas 57,410 

petitions were received prior to FY 2014. 
6

Table 3 provides a breakdown of approved petitions in FYs 2011 to 2014 by type of petition. 

124,326 H-1B beneficiaries were approved for initial employment and 191,531 for continuing 

employment in FY 2014. 

The number of aliens outside the United States approved for initial employment decreased less 

than 1 percent from 68,785 in FY 2013 to 68,390 in FY 2014. The corresponding number of 

petitions approved for aliens in the United States requesting a change to H-1B status decreased 

by 6 percent from 59,506 in FY 2013 to 55,936 in FY 2014.

Table 3. H-1B Petitions Approved by Type:

FYs 2011 to 2014

Petitions Approved

Type of Petition FY2011 Percent FY2012 Percent FY2013 Percent FY2014 Percent

Total 269,653 100 262,569 100 286,773 100 315,857 100

Initial 

employment 106,445 39 136,890 52 128,291 45 124,326 39

Aliens outside 

U.S. 48,665 18 74,997 28 68,785 24 68,390 22

 

Aliens in U.S. 57,780 21 61,893 24 59,506 21 55,936 18

Continuing 

employment 163,208 61 125,679 48 158,482 55 191,531 61

Note: Sum of the percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.

Section 3.2 – Distribution of petitions by country of birth

Tables 4A and 4B show the distribution of beneficiaries by country of birth.12 Of the H-1B 

petitions approved in FY 2014, 70 percent reported that the beneficiary was born in India. The 

second most prevalent country of birth of H-1B beneficiaries was the People’s Republic of 

China, representing 8 percent of all beneficiaries. The number of beneficiaries from India 

approved for initial employment increased less than 1 percent in FY 2014, while the number of 

beneficiaries approved for continuing employment increased 31 percent in FY 2014. 

 

12 Data represent countries and territories of birth.
7

Table 4A. H-1B Petitions Approved by Country of Birth of Beneficiary and Type of 

Petition (Number): FYs 2013 and 2014

All Beneficiaries Initial Employment Continuing Employment

Country of Birth FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014

Number Number Number Number Number Number

Total 286,773 315,857 128,291 124,326 158,482 191,531

India 187,270 220,286 81,992 82,263 105,278 138,023

China, People's Republic 23,429 26,393 12,651 13,708 10,778 12,685

Canada 7,971 6,853 3,096 2,561 4,875 4,292

Philippines 6,152 5,157 1,673 1,318 4,479 3,839

South Korea 4,843 4,390 2,310 2,012 2,533 2,378

United Kingdom 3,680 3,307 1,595 1,211 2,085 2,096

Mexico 3,114 2,768 1,260 1,038 1,854 1,730

Taiwan 2,470 2,406 1,260 1,176 1,210 1,230

France 2,322 2,218 1,161 920 1,161 1,161

Japan 2,464 1,983 929 691 1,535 1,292

Pakistan 2,147 1,923 851 787 1,296 1,136

Nepal 1,652 1,735 844 769 808 966

Germany 1,767 1,625 900 751 867 874

Turkey 1,683 1,619 801 672 882 947

Brazil 1,649 1,546 765 692 884 854

Colombia 1,361 1,290 529 447 832 843

Italy 1,381 1,283 760 634 621 649

Russia 1,313 1,241 741 573 572 668

Venezuela 1,310 1,230 583 439 727 791

Spain 1,188 1,155 716 573 472 582

Other countries 27,607 25,449 12,874 11,091 14,733 14,495

Note: Countries of birth are ranked based on FY 2014 data.
8

Table 4B. H-1B Petitions Approved by Country of Birth of Beneficiary and Type of 

Petition (Percent): FYs 2013 and 2014

All Beneficiaries Initial Employment Continuing Employment

Country of Birth FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014

Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent

Total ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------

Country of birth 100 100 100 100 100 100

India 65.3 69.7 63.9 66.2 66.4 72.1

China, People's Republic 8.2 8.4 9.9 11 6.8 6.6

Canada 2.8 2.2 2.4 2.1 3.1 2.2

Philippines 2.2 1.6 1.3 1.1 2.8 2.0

South Korea 1.7 1.4 1.8 1.6 1.6 1.2

United Kingdom 1.3 1.0 1.2 1.0 1.3 1.1

Mexico 1.1 0.9 1.0 0.8 1.2 0.9

Taiwan 0.9 0.8 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.6

France 0.8 0.7 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.6

Japan 0.9 0.6 0.7 0.6 1.0 0.7

Pakistan 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.6

Nepal 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.5

Germany 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.5

Turkey 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5

Brazil 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.4

Colombia 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4

Italy 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3

Russia 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3

Venezuela 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.4

Spain 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.3

Other countries 9.6 8.1 10.0 8.9 9.2 7.6

Notes: Countries of birth are ranked based on FY 2014 data.

 Sum of the percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.
9

Section 3.3 – Distribution of petitions by age

Table 5 shows the age distribution of the H-1B beneficiaries in FY 2014 by type of petition. 

Seventy-two percent of workers granted H-1B status during FY 2014 were between 25 and 34 

years of age at the time their petitions were approved. Thirty-eight percent of initial 

beneficiaries were under 30, compared with over 29 percent of continuing beneficiaries.

Table 5. H-1B Petitions Approved by Age of Beneficiary at Time of Approval

and by Type of Petition: FY 2014

Age All

Beneficiaries

Percent Initial

Employment

Percent Continuing 

Employment

Percent

Total 315,857 124.326 191,531

Age known 315,796 100 128,284 100 191,512 100

Under 20 53 0.02 26 0.02 27 0.01

20-24 12,013 3.8 10,642 8.56 1,371 0.72

25-29 107,787 34.13 52,627 42.34 55,160 28.8

30-34 118,513 37.53 38,782 31.2 79,731 41.63

35-39 52,457 16.61 15,186 12.22 37,271 19.46

40-44 15,899 5.03 4,460 3.59 11,439 5.97

45-49 5,482 1.74 1,489 1.2 3,993 2.08

50-54 2,185 0.69 632 0.51 1,553 0.81

55-59 891 0.28 286 0.23 605 0.32

60-64 341 0.11 95 0.08 246 0.13

65 and over 175 0.06 59 0.05 116 0.06

Age unknown 61 ------ 42 ------ 19 ------

Notes: Anyone reported as under 16 years old and not a fashion model was assumed to be of unknown age.

Age of beneficiary is calculated based on the date the petition was approved.

Sum of the percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.

 Percentages shown in the table are based on the total number of approved petitions with known ages.

Section 3.4 – Distribution of petitions by education

Tables 6 and 7 show the highest level of education achieved by the beneficiaries at the time of 

filing the petition. Employers are asked to provide the highest degree (domestic or foreign)

when completing the H-1B petition, but not training or experience deemed equivalent to a 

degree. The reporting of a domestic or foreign degree is not required in a standard format on 

USCIS or DOL forms. However, in nearly all cases, the petitioning employer provides the 

information in supporting documentation. For degrees earned outside the United States, the 

employer usually supplies a credential evaluation stating that the foreign degree is “equivalent 

to” a particular U.S. degree. USCIS does not maintain separate data regarding whether the 
10

degree was earned in the United States or abroad. (Data on beneficiaries with U.S. advanced 

degrees has been available since May 2005.) 

The breakdown of the highest level of education achieved by H-1B beneficiaries remained 

mostly constant between FYs 2013 and 2014. As shown in Table 6, 45 percent of all H-1B 

petitions approved for workers in FY 2014 reported that the beneficiary had earned the 

equivalent of a bachelor’s degree, 43 percent a master’s degree, 8 percent a doctorate, and 4

percent a professional degree. 

Table 6. Percent of H-1B Petitions Approved by Level of Education:

FYs 2011-2014

Level of Education FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014

Education known 100 100 100 100

Less than a Bachelor's degree 1 1 1 1

Bachelor's degree 41 46 45 45

Master's degree 42 41 41 43

Doctorate degree 11 8 9 8

Professional degree 5 4 3 4

Note: Sum of percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.

Table 7. H-1B Petitions Approved by Level of Education of Beneficiary

and Type of Petition: Fiscal Year 2014

Level of Education All

Be

Percent Initial

Employment

Percent Continuing

Employment

Percent

Beneficiaries Employment Employment

Total 315,857 124,326 191,531

Education known 315,828 100 124,314 100 191,514 100

No high school diploma 78 0.02 32 0.03 46 0.02

High school graduate 268 0.08 133 0.11 135 0.07

Less than 1 year of college credit 60 0.02 18 0.01 42 0.02

1 or more years of college credit,

 no diploma 362 0.11 133 0.11 229 0.12

Associate's degree 308 0.1 88 0.07 220 0.11

Bachelor's degree 142,148 45.01 56,843 45.73 85,305 44.54

Master's degree 136,188 43.12 51,058 41.07 85,130 44.45

Doctorate degree 24,468 7.75 11,839 9.52 12,629 6.59

Professional degree 11,948 3.78 4,170 3.35 7,778 4.06

Education unknown 29 ------- 12 ------ 17 ------

Notes: Sum of the percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.

Percentages shown in the table are based on the number of approved petitions with known levels of 

education.
11

Section 3.5 – Distribution of petitions by occupation

Occupational Category

Tables 8A and 8B show the distribution of beneficiaries by occupational category for FYs 2013

and 2014. The category of computer-related occupations was the largest occupational category 

in 2014; its share of total petitions approved was 65 percent in FY 2014. The corresponding 

shares for initial employment and continuing employment in computer-related occupations were

65 and 64 percent, respectively. The top ten occupational categories representing 98 percent of 

all beneficiaries had more continuing employment than initial employment beneficiaries.

The number of H-1B petitions approved for workers in computer-related occupations increased 

by 19 percent from 2013 to 2014. The number of H-1B petitions for all other occupation groups 

remained relatively constant between 2013 and 2014.
12

Table 8A. H-1B Petitions Approved by Major Occupation Group of Beneficiary and Type 

of Petition (Number): Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014

All

Beneficiaries

Initial

Employment

Continuing

Employment

Occupational Category FY2013 FY2014 FY2013 FY2014 FY2013 FY2014

Number Number Number Number Number Number

Total 286,773 315,857 128,291 124.326 158,482 191,531

Occupation known 284,851 313,930 127,536 123,591 157,315 190,339

Computer-related occupations 171,613 203,425 79,870 80,877 91,743 122.368

Occupations in Architecture, Engineering

 and Surveying 27,495 29,103 11,642 10,707 15,853 18,396

Occupations in Administrative Specializations 18,771 18,905 8,500 7,395 11,401 11,510

Occupations in Education 20,370 18,680 8,969 8,393 10,271 10,287

Occupations in Medicine and Health 17,138 15,358 5,587 5,020 11,551 10,338

Occupations in Mathematics and Physical Sciences 5,303 5,571 2,405 2,295 2,898 3,276

Managers and Officials N.E.C.* 5,775 5.453 2,079 1,699 3,696 3,754

Occupations in Life Sciences 5,247 4,746 2,518 2,158 2,729 2,588

Occupations in Social Sciences 3,882 3,920 1,777 1,567 2,105 2,353

Miscellaneous Professional, Technical, and 

 Managerial 3,882 3,861 1,639 1,294 2,243 2,567

Occupations in Art 2,613 2,518 1,200 958 1,413 1,560

Occupations in Law and Jurisprudence 982 1,018 505 486 477 532

Occupations in Writing 733 646 341 305 392 341

Miscellaneous13 473 405 219 186 254 219

Occupations in Entertainment and Recreation 211 178 90 89 121 89

Occupations in Museum, Library, and Archival 

Sciences 157 158 76 71 81 87

Occupations in Religion and Theology 119 92 45 40 74 52

Sales Promotion Occupations 87 73 74 51 13 22

Occupation unknown14 1,922 1,927 755 735 1,167 1,192

Notes: Occupations ranked based on FY 2014 data.

 *N.E.C. indicates not elsewhere classified.

 

13 The Miscellaneous category is a Major Occupation Group whose numbers are derived from the Detailed 

Occupations listed in Table 9A. A full listing of the Major Occupation Groups and the corresponding Detailed 

Occupations can be found in form M-746 http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/m-746.pdf.

14 The data in this chart is pulled from information captured on the Form I-129. In some instances a petitioner will 

leave the beneficiary’s job code blank, which we report here as “Occupation unknown”. This does not mean, 

however, that the position is not a “specialized occupation”.
13

Table 8B. H-1B Petitions Approved by Major Occupation Group of Beneficiary and Type 

of Petition (Percent): FYs 2013 and 2014

All 

Beneficiaries

Initial

Employment

Continuing 

Employment

Occupational Category FY2013

Number

FY2014

Number

FY2013

Number

FY2014

Number

FY2013

Number

FY2014

Number

Occupation known 100 100 100 100 100 100

Computer-related occupations 59.8 64.5 62.3 65.1 57.9 63.9

Occupations in Architecture, Engineering, 

 and Surveying 9.6 9.2 9.1 8.6 10.0 9.6

Occupations in Administrative Specializations 6.5 6.0 6.6 5.9 7.2 6.0

Occupations in Education 7.1 5.9 7.0 6.8 76.5 5.4

Occupations in Medicine and Health 6.0 4.9 4.4 4.0 7.3 5.4

Occupations in Mathematics and 

 Physical Sciences 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.7

Managers and Officials N.E.C.* 2.0 1.7 1.6 1.4 2.3 2.0

Occupations in Life Sciences 1.8 1.5 2.0 1.7 1.7 1.4

Occupations in Social Sciences 1.4 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2

Miscellaneous Professional, 

Technical, and Managerial 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.0 1.4 1.3

Occupations in Art 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8

Occupations in Law and Jurisprudence 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3

Occupations in Writing 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2

Miscellaneous 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1

Occupations in Entertainment and Recreation 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0

Occupations in Museum, Library, & Archival Sciences 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0

Occupations in Religion and Theology 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Sales Promotion Occupations 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Occupation unknown ---0.7--- ---0.6--- ------0.6 ------0.6 ---0.7--- ---0.6---

Notes: Occupations ranked based on FY 2014 data. 

Sum of the percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.

Percentages shown in the table are based on the total number of petitions approved with known 

occupations.

*N.E.C. indicates not elsewhere classified.
14

Detailed Occupation

Tables 9A and 9B indicate the distribution of beneficiaries by detailed occupational category in 

FYs 2013 and 2014. Each table shows occupations arranged in descending order by the total 

number of beneficiaries approved in FY 2014. The list is limited to the top 20 categories. 

Fifty-four percent of approved petitions in 2014 were for aliens working as systems analysts or 

programmers. Aside from the “Other Occupations” category, the second largest category was 

computer-related occupations.

Table 9A. H-1B Petitions Approved by Detailed Occupation of Beneficiary and Type of 

Petition (Number): FYs 2013 and 2014

All

Beneficiaries

Initial

Employment

Continuing 

Employment

Occupational Category FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014

Number Number Number Number Number Number

Total 286,773 315,857 128,291 124,326 158,482 191,531

Occupation known 286,770 315,814 128,289 124,295 158,481 191,519

Occupations in Systems Analysis and Programming 145,437 170,966 69,166 68,791 76,271 102,175

Computer-Related Occupations, N.E.C.* 21,365 26,610 8,546 9,881 12,819 16,729

Occupations in College and University Education 15,362 14,402 7,635 7,274 7,727 7,128

Electrical/Electronics Engineering Occupations 10,752 11,350 4,586 3,849 6,166 7,501

Accountants, Auditors, and Related Occupations 7,567 7,869 3,390 3,039 4,177 4,830

Physicians and Surgeons 8,320 7,327 2,479 2,350 5,841 4,977

Mechanical Engineering Occupations 4,974 5,418 2,139 2,060 2,835 3,358

Occupations in Architecture, Engineering, and Surveying, 

 N.E.C.* 3,708 3,861 1,546 1,525 2,162 2,336

Occupations in Administrative Specializations, N.E.C.* 3,848 3,857 1,754 1,523 2,094 2,334

Budget and Management Systems Analysis Occupations 3,870 3,810 1,806 1,514 2,064 2,296

Misc Professional, Technical, and Managerial Occupations, 

N.E.C.* 3,580 3,651 1,494 1,205 2,086 2,446

Occupations in Biological Sciences 3,906 3,498 1,884 1,631 2,022 1,867

Occupations in Economics 3,405 3,485 1,513 1,352 1,892 2,133

Occupations in Medicine and Health, N.E.C.* 3,165 2,914 1,340 1,140 1,825 1,774

Occupations in Computer System Technical Support 2,248 2,893 1,108 1,187 1,140 1,706

Miscellaneous Managers and Officials, N.E.C.* 3,049 2,862 1,015 873 2,034 1,989

Industrial Engineering Occupations 2,340 2,573 1,027 975 1,313 1,598

Occupations in Data Communications and Networks 2,260 2,484 945 918 1,315 1,566

Occupations in Mathematics 2,069 2,393 880 955 1,189 1,438

Therapists 2,403 2,222 842 658 1,561 1,564

Other Occupations 33,142 31,369 13,194 11,595 19,848 19,774

Occupation Unknown 3 43 2 31 1 12

Notes: Occupations ranked based on FY 2014 data.

 *N.E.C. indicates not elsewhere classified.
15

Table 9B. H-1B Petitions Approved by Detailed Occupation of Beneficiary

and Type of Petition (Percent): FYs 2013 and 2014

All

Beneficiaries

Initial

Employment

Continuing 

Employment

Occupational Category FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014

Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent

Total ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------

Occupation known 100 100 100 100 100 100

Occupations in Systems Analysis and 

Programming 50.7 54.1 53.9 55.3 48.1 53.7

Computer-Related Occupations, N.E.C.* 7.5 8.4 6.7 7.9 8.1 8.7

Occupations in College and University Education 5.4 4.6 6.0 5.9 4.9 3.7

Electrical/Electronics Engineering Occupations 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.1 3.9 3.9

Accountants, Auditors, and Related Occupations 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.6 2.5

Physicians and Surgeons 2.9 2.3 1.9 1.9 3.7 2.6

Mechanical Engineering Occupations 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8

Occupations in Architecture, Engineering, and 

Surveying, N.E.C.* 1.3 1.2

Occupations in Administrative Specializations, 

N.E.C.* 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.2

Budget and Management Systems Analysis 

Occupations 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.2

Misc Professional, Technical, and Managerial 

Occupations, N.E.C.* 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.3 1.3

Occupations in Biological Sciences 1.4 1.1 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.0

Occupations in Economics 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.1

Occupations in Medicine and Health, N.E.C.* 1.1 0.9 1.0 0.9 1.2 0.9

Occupations in Computer System Technical 

Support 0.8 0.9 0.9 1.0 0.7 0.9

Miscellaneous Managers and Officials, N.E.C.* 1.1 0.9 0.8 0.7 1.3 1.0

Industrial Engineering Occupations 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8

Occupations in Data Communications and

Networks 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8

Occupations in Mathematics 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.9 0.8 0.8

Therapists 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.5 1.0 0.8

Other Occupations 11.6 9.9 10.3 9.3 12.6 10.3

Occupation Unknown ---0.0--- -0.0----- -0.0----- -0.0----- -----0.0- ---0.0---

Notes: Occupations ranked based on FY 2014 data.

 Sum of the percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.

 Percentages shown in the table are based on the total number of petitions approved with known occupation

 * N.E.C. indicates not elsewhere classified.

Section 3.6 – Distribution of petitions by annual compensation15

 

15 Annual compensation refers to what the employer agreed to pay the beneficiary at the time the application was filed. 

The amount excludes non-cash compensation and benefits such as health insurance and transportation. Further, 

compensation is based on full-time employment for 12 months, even if the beneficiary worked fewer than 12 months.
16

Tables 10, 11, and 12 show compensation by occupation for beneficiaries of all, initial, and 

continuing employment, respectively. Each table shows occupations arranged in descending 

order by the total number of beneficiaries approved in FY 2014. As shown in Table 10, the 

median annual compensation reported by employers of H-1B workers approved for employment 

during FY 2014 was $75,000. The median annual compensation was $72,000 in FY 2013. 

Median compensation ranged from a low of $38,000 for occupations in religion and theology to 

a high of $105,000 for law and jurisprudence occupations. 

Table 10. Annual Compensation ($) of All H-1B Beneficiaries by Major Occupation 

Group: FY 2014 (Approvals)16

Total 25th Median Mean 75th

Occupation Reported Percentile Percentile

Total 314,078 62,000 75,000 84,000 98,000

Known Occupations with annual compensation 312,190 62,000 75,000 84,000 98,000

Computer-related Occupations 202,691 64,000 76,000 83,000 96,000

Occupations in Architecture, Engineering, and Surveying 28,948 68,000 85,000 89,000 104,000

Occupation in Administrative Specializations 18,664 52,000 69,000 79,000 97,000

Occupations in Education 18,555 43,000 53,000 64,000 72,000

Occupations in Medicine and Health 14,948 56,000 77,000 117,000 170,000

Occupations in Mathematics and Physical Sciences 5,545 61,000 80,000 85,000 100,000

Managers and Officials 5405 69,000 100,000 111,000 132,000

Occupations in Life Sciences 4,715 45,000 53,000 62,000 71,000

Occupations in Social Sciences 3,883 55,000 80,000 90,000 112,000

Miscellaneous Professional, Technical, and Managerial 

Occupations 3839 65,000 92,000 99,000 125,000

Occupations in Art 2,492 45,000 57,000 68,000 79,000

Occupations in Law and Jurisprudence 1,003 59,000 105,000 119,000 165,000

Occupations in Writing 634 36,000 52,000 58,000 72,000

Miscellaneous 398 35,000 45,000 53,000 60,000

Occupations in Entertainment and Recreation 172 29,000 43,000 60,000 64,000

Occupations in Museum, Library, and Archival Sciences 155 40,000 51,000 63,000 77,000

Occupations in Religion and Theology 92 28,000 38,000 44,000 55,000

Sales Promotion Occupations 51 52,000 104,000 127,000 169,000

Occupation unknown 1,888 53,000 70,000 82,000 96,000

Notes: Occupations ranked by number of beneficiaries.

 *N.E.C. indicates not elsewhere classified.

Definitions: Median is the middle ranking value (50th percentile) of all values. 

 Mean is the average of all values.

 25th percentile and 75th percentile are the lower quarter and upper quarter ranking values, respectively. 

 

16 The Fiscal Year 2012 report reflects detailed occupational groups, whereas the Fiscal Year 2010, 2011, 2013 and 

2014 reports reflect major occupational groups, which capture data on the general categories of H-1B positions. 
17

As revealed in Tables 11 and 12, beneficiaries for continuing employment reported higher annual 

compensation than did beneficiaries for initial employment. Median annual compensation was 

$83,000 for the former and $66,000 for the latter. In FY 2014 workers approved for continuing 

employment and initial employment reported mean annual compensation of $90,000 and 

$75,000 respectively. 

Table 11. Annual Compensation ($) of H-1B Beneficiaries for Initial Employment

by Major Occupation Group: FY 2014 (Approvals)17

Total 25th Median Mean 75th

Occupation Reported Percentile Percentile

Total 123,653 60,000 66,000 75,000 81,000

Known Occupations with annual compensation 122,932 60,000 66,000 75,000 81,000

Computer-related occupations 80,709 60,000 67,000 74,000 80,000

Occupations in Architecture, Engineering, and Surveying 10,621 61,000 75,000 80,000 95,000

Occupations in Education 8,340 42,000 52,000 64,000 72,000

Occupations in Administrative Specializations 7,264 46,000 57,000 67,000 76,000

Occupations in Medicine and Health 4,934 51,000 66,000 112,000 165,000

Occupations in Mathematics and Physical Sciences 2,281 55,000 70,000 75,000 90,000

Occupations in Life Sciences 2,146 43,000 50,000 57,000 64,000

Managers and Officials 1,676 60,000 90,000 101,000 120,000

Occupations in Social Sciences 1,545 46,000 65,000 76,000 96,000

Miscellaneous Professional, Technical, and Managerial 

Occupations 1,279 53,000 75,000 85,000 110,000

Occupations in Art 943 40,000 52,000 60,000 68,000

Occupations in Law and Jurisprudence 480 50,000 90,000 108,000 160,000

Occupations in Writing 296 31,000 44,000 50,000 64,000

Miscellaneous 184 30,000 40,000 45,000 52,000

Occupations in Entertainment and Recreation 87 26,000 41,000 59,000 60,000

Occupations in Museum, Library, and Archival Sciences 70 39,000 48,000 60,000 67,000

Occupations in Religion and Theology 40 27,000 36,000 39,000 48,000

Sales Promotion Occupations 37 100,000 104,000 144,000 200,000

Occupation unknown 721 48,000 62,000 72,000 82,000

Notes: Occupations ranked by the number of beneficiaries.

Definitions: Median is the middle ranking value (50th percentile) of all values. 

 Mean is the average of all values.

 25th percentile and 75th percentile are the lower quarter and upper quarter ranking values, respectively.

 

17 The FY 2012 report reflects detailed occupational groups, whereas the FY 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014 reports 

reflect major occupational groups, which capture data on the general categories of H-1B positions.
18

Table 12. Annual Compensation ($) of H-1B Beneficiaries for Continuing Employment by 

Major Occupation Group: FY 2014 (Approvals)18

Total 25th Median Mean 75th

Occupation Reported Percentile Percentile

Total 190,425 66,000 83,000 90,000 105,000

Known Occupations with annual compensation 189,258 66,000 83,000 90,000 105,000

Computer-related occupations 121,982 69,000 84,000 89,000 104,000

Occupations in Architecture, Engineering, and Surveying 18,327 75,000 89,000 94,000 108,000

Occupations in Administrative Specializations 11,400 58,000 77,000 86,000 105,000

Occupations in Education 10,215 44,000 53,000 65,000 71,000

Occupations in Medicine and Health 10,014 58,000 82,000 119,000 170,000

Managers and Officials 3,729 75,000 105,000 115,000 136,000

Occupations in Mathematics and Physical Sciences 3,264 66,000 86,000 91,000 108,000

Occupations in Life Sciences 2,569 46,000 57,000 66,000 79,000

Miscellaneous Professional, Technical, and Managerial 

Occupations 2,560 75,000 100,000 106,000 130,000

Occupations in Social Sciences 2,338 64,000 90,000 99,000 122,000

Occupations in Art 1,549 48,000 60,000 72,000 84,000

Occupations in Law and Jurisprudence 523 62,000 113,000 129,000 185,000

Occupations in Writing 338 43,000 60,000 65,000 80,000

Miscellaneous 214 39,000 50,000 61,000 65,000

Occupations in Entertainment and Recreation 85 32,000 45,000 60,000 70,000

Occupations in Museum, Library, and Archival Sciences 85 41,000 55,000 66,000 80,000

Occupations in Religion and Theology 52 29,000 41,000 47,000 56,000

Sales Promotions Occupations 14 52,000 59,000 79,000 103,000

Occupation unknown 1,167 60,000 80,000 87,000 102,000

Notes: Occupations ranked by the number of beneficiaries.

 

Definitions: Median is the middle ranking value (50th percentile) of all values. 

 Mean is the average of all values.

 25th percentile and 75th percentile are the lower quarter and upper quarter ranking values, respectively.

 

18 The FY 2012 report reflects detailed occupational groups, whereas the FY 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014 reports 

reflect major occupational groups, which capture data on the general categories of H-1B positions.
19

Section 3.7 – Distribution of petitions by industry

Tables 13A and 13B show the top 20 industries that employed H-1B workers in FY 2014.

Industry data are collected using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). 

The top 20 industries listed in Tables 13A and 13B represent nearly 80 percent of H-1B workers 

approved for all known industry categories as determined by the NAICS code entered on Form I129.19 The number of workers approved for all known industries increased 21 percent from 

229,434 in FY 2013 to 277,300 in FY 2014. 

 

19 The remaining known industries for which H-1B workers were approved are captured in the “Other Industries” 

category in Tables 13A and 13B. For FY 2014, H-1B workers were approved for just over 1,400 unique industry 

categories as determined by the NAICS code entered on the Form I-129. Unlike country of birth, age, education, and 

occupation, USCIS does not verify the NAICS code, since the sponsor does not provide supporting documentation. 
20

Table 13A. H-1B Petitions Approved by Detailed Industry and Type of Petition 

(Number) FYs 2013 and 2014

 

Notes: Industries ranked by total beneficiaries in FY 2014.

 

20 See footnote 17.

 

All 

Beneficiaries

Initial 

Employment

Continuing 

Employment

FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2014

Industry Number Number Number Number Number Number

Total 286,773 315,857 128,291 124,326 158,482 191,531

Industry known 229,434 277,300 104,222 113,288 125,212 164,012

Custom Computer Programming 

 Services 82,642 98,681 41,715 45,127 40,927 53,554

Computer System Design Services 24,149 32,198 11,289 11,488 12,860 20,710

Colleges, Universities, and 

Professional Schools 20,016 18,684 9,564 9,086 10,452 9,598

Computer Systems Design and 

Related Services 8,091 8,318 4,445 3,999 3,646 4,319

Software Publishers 6,280 6,921 2,108 2,506 4,172 4,415

Other Computer Related Services 5,410 5,880 2,594 2,379 2,816 3,501

Engineering Services 3,300 5,826 1,574 2,686 1,726 3,140

General Medical and Surgical 

 Hospitals 6,077 5,566 2,004 2,021 4,073 3,545

Management, Scientific, and 

Technical Consulting Services 5,073 5,440 3,790 2,986 1,283 2,454

Administrative Management and 

General Management Consulting 

Services

2,739 3,112 1,345 1,159 1,394 1,953

Electronic Computer Manufacturing 2,051 2,960 672 954 1,379 2,006

Elementary and Secondary Schools 2,735 2,864 617 770 2,118 2,094

Investment Banking and Securities 

Dealing 433 2,769 163 780 270 1,989

Offices of Physicians (except Mental 

Health Specialists) 2,685 2,742 856 810 1,829 1,932

Semiconductor and Related Device 

 Manufacturing 2,160 2,609 852 824 1,308 1,785

Semiconductor and Other Electronic 

Component Manufacturing 2,558 2,480 1,057 836 1,501 1,644

Research and Development in the 

Physical, Engineering, and Life 

Sciences

2,635 2,361 1,113 1,036 1,522 1,325

Offices of Certified Public 

Accountants 1,896 2,274 782 791 1,114 1,483

Radio and Television Broadcasting 

and Wireless Communications 

Equipment Manufacturing 

2,125 2,202 920 711 1,205 1,491

Offices of Other Holding Companies 1,116 1,312 254 260 862 1,052

Other Industries20 45,263 62,101 16,508 22,079 28,755 40,022

Industry unknown 57,339 38,557 24,069 11,038 33,270 27,519
21

 NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System.

Table 13B. H-1B Petitions Approved by Detailed Industry and Type of Petition 

(Percent) FYs 2013 and 2014

 

All 

Beneficiaries

Initial 

Employment

Continuing 

Employment

FY2013 FY2014 FY2013 FY2014 FY2013 FY2014

Industry Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100

Industry known 80.0 87.8 81.2 91.1 79.0 85.6

Custom Computer Programming 

 Services

28.8 31.2 32.5 36.3 25.8 28.0

Computer System Design Services 8.4 10.2 8.8 9.2 8.1 10.8

Colleges, Universities, and

Professional Schools 7.0 5.9 7.5 7.3 6.6 5.0

Computer Systems Design and Related Services 2.8 2.6 3.5 3.2 2.3 2.3

Software Publishers 2.2 2.2 1.6 2.0 2.6 2.3

Other Computer Related Services 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.8 1.8

Engineering Services 1.2 1.8 1.2 2.2 1.1 1.6

General Medical and Surgical 

 Hospitals 2.1 1.8 1.6 1.6 2.6 1.9

Management, Scientific, and Technical 

Consulting Services 1.8 1.7 3.0 2.4 0.8 1.3

Administrative Management and General 

Management Consulting Services 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.0

Electronic Computer Manufacturing 0.7 0.9 0.5 0.8 0.9 1.0

Elementary and Secondary Schools 1.0 0.9 0.5 0.6 1.3 1.1

Investment Banking and Securities Dealing 0.2 0.9 0.1 0.6 0.2 1.0

Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health 

Specialists) 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.7 1.2 1.0

Semiconductor and Related Device 

 Manufacturing 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.9

Semiconductor and other Electronic Component 

Manufacturing 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.9 0.9

Research and Development in the Physical, 

Engineering, and Life Sciences 0.9 0.7 0.9 0.8 1.0 0.7

Offices of Certified Public Accountants 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.8

Radio and Television Broadcasting and 

Wireless Communications Equipment 

Manufacturing 

0.7 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.8

Offices of Other Holding Companies 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.5 0.5

Other Industries 15.8 19.7 12.9 17.8 18.1 20.9

Industry unknown 20.0 12.2 18.8 8.9 21.0 14.4

Notes: Industries ranked by total beneficiaries in FY 2014.

 Sum of the percent may not add to 100 due to rounding.

 Percentages shown are based on the total number of petitions approved with industry known.

 NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System
22

IV. Appendices

A. H-1B petition processing

Petitions for obtaining H-1B nonimmigrant classification for alien workers are submitted by 

prospective employers on USCIS Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, the H 

Classification Supplement to Form I-129, and the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee 

Exemption Supplement. The petitions are generally mailed to one of two USCIS Service 

Centers (St. Albans, Vermont, or Laguna Niguel, California) for processing, depending on the 

location of the beneficiary’s worksite.

Upon receipt of a properly filed petition,21 each petition is stamped with its date of arrival at the 

service center. A clerk creates a paper file that contains the original petition as well as all 

supporting documentation. This file becomes the official file of record for all activities 

connected with the petition.

Biographical data (such as name, date of birth, and country of birth), as well as data on 

occupational and industry categories, are taken from the petition and entered by data entry clerks 

into the case tracking system Computer-Linked Application Information Management System 

(CLAIMS3). The computer system generates a unique receipt number for the file. After being 

sorted into potential cap subject and cap exempt cases, the file is assigned to an adjudicator. 

The adjudicator evaluates whether there is adequate information in the file to approve or deny 

the petition, or whether a need for further information warrants a request for evidence or 

initiation of an administrative investigation. If sufficient evidence is available, the adjudicator 

makes a decision and enters the corresponding information into the tracking system. In the case 

of insufficient evidence, the adjudicator requests additional information from the sponsoring 

employer. The employer must respond to the request within a set period of time or the petition 

will be denied. 

After petitions are adjudicated, the petition and supporting documentation are forwarded to either 

the USCIS records center in Harrisonburg, Virginia, for storage or the Kentucky Consular Center 

in Williamsburg, Kentucky, for consular processing. 

B. Data Limitations

The data for the tables in this report have been extracted from a USCIS Service Center electronic 

data file. As such, errors in data may have occurred as a result of erroneous data submitted by 

 

21 Petitions that are improperly filed (e.g., submitted without the correct supplements, proper signatures, or required 

fees) may be rejected by the service center. Rejected petitions are returned to the petitioner with any submitted fees. 

See 8 CFR 103.2(a)(7).
23

the petitioner, initial data entry errors at service centers, or improper electronic transfer from the 

service centers to USCIS Headquarters. Accordingly, some data elements in the above tables are 

“unknown.”

Minimal editing has been done to the data in this file and impossible or highly improbable values 

(such as beneficiaries younger than 16, except for fashion models) or beneficiaries (such as those 

working without compensation) have been defined as “unknown.” Information in electronic 

format is not available regarding the cities or states where H-1B workers are employed.