Randolph County News

Employers based in the Randolph County News publication area submitted 28 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, 27 were approved (96.4%), while one was denied (3.6%).

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. 

In 2024, the average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States stood at 98%, slightly higher than 2023's 97.3%.

The Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings locally during 2024, with 15 petitions (53.6% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Manufacturing industry was the second largest contributor, filing six petitions (21.4% of the total), with an approval rate of 83.3%.

In 2024, the Randolph County News publication area employer with the most petitions was Lexington City Schools, which filed 12 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.

Compared to 2023, the Randolph County News publication area saw a 21.7% 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	Educational Services	15	53.6%	100%	0%
2	Manufacturing	6	21.4%	83.3%	16.7%
3	Wholesale Trade	2	7.1%	100%	0%
4	Retail Trade	1	3.6%	100%	0%
4	Construction	1	3.6%	100%	0%
4	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	3.6%	100%	0%

Company Name	Industry(ies)	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
Lexington City Schools	Educational Services	12	100%	0%
Asheboro City Schools	Educational Services	2	100%	0%
Lead Designs, LLC	Construction, Wholesale Trade	2	100%	0%
Mas US Holdings, Inc.	Manufacturing	2	100%	0%
Thomasville City School	Educational Services	2	100%	0%
Fibertex Personal Care Corporation	Manufacturing	1	0%	100%
Hafele America Company	Wholesale Trade	1	100%	0%
Halls Drug Stores, LLC	Retail Trade	1	100%	0%
Method Sourcing, Corp.		1	100%	0%
Pioneer Square Brands, Inc.	Manufacturing	1	100%	0%
Sealy, Inc.	Manufacturing	1	100%	0%
Thomasville-Archdale Pediatrics, PLLC	Health Care and Social Assistance	1	100%	0%
Vault, LLC	Manufacturing	1	100%	0%