H-1B Insights: Employers classified under the Retail Trade industry file 141 petitions in Illinois throughout 2024

Employers classified under the Retail Trade industry based in Illinois submitted 141 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, 140 were approved (99.3%), while one was denied (0.7%).

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, Illinois employers across all industries submitted 19,923 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.7%.

While the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings with 10,665 petitions, representing 53.5% of all submissions in Illinois during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Finance and Insurance industry, which accounted for 2,097 petitions and represented 10.5% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Finance and Insurance industry, 10,502 were approved and 163 were denied.

The Illinois employers which made the most petitions in the Retail Trade sector during 2024 included Walgreen Company with 40 petitions, Ulta, Inc. with 30 petitions, and Ulta Beauty Credit Services Corpor with 13 petitions.

Compared to 2023, the Retail Trade sector in Illinois saw a 31.2% 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.