The Sconi

Employers classified under the Finance and Insurance industry based in Wisconsin submitted 291 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, 289 were approved (99.3%), while two were 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, Wisconsin employers across all industries submitted 2,858 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 99.1%.

The Manufacturing industry led the H-1B filings in Wisconsin during 2024, with 646 petitions (22.6% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 99.7%. Meanwhile, the Educational Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 603 petitions (21.1% of the total), with an approval rate of 99.2%.

The Wisconsin employers which made the most petitions in the Finance and Insurance sector during 2024 included Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company with 127 petitions, American Family Mutual Insurance C with 61 petitions, and American Family Mutual Insurance Company Si with 23 petitions.

Compared to 2023, the Finance and Insurance sector in Wisconsin saw a 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	Manufacturing	646	22.6%	99.7%	0.3%
2	Educational Services	603	21.1%	99.2%	0.8%
3	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	459	16.1%	98%	2%
4	Information	429	15%	100%	0%
5	Finance and Insurance	291	10.2%	99.3%	0.7%
6	Health Care and Social Assistance	192	6.7%	99%	1%
7	Wholesale Trade	94	3.3%	97.9%	2.1%
8	Retail Trade	48	1.7%	97.9%	2.1%
9	Construction	36	1.3%	97.2%	2.8%
10	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	22	0.8%	95.5%	4.6%
11	Transportation and Warehousing	15	0.5%	100%	0%
12	Other Services (except Public Administration)	6	0.2%	100%	0%
13	Utilities	3	0.1%	100%	0%
13	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	3	0.1%	100%	0%
15	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	2	0.1%	100%	0%
15	Accommodation and Food Services	2	0.1%	50%	50%
15	Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	2	0.1%	100%	0%
15	Management of Companies and Enterprises	2	0.1%	100%	0%
15	Public Administration	2	0.1%	100%	0%
20	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	1	0%	100%	0%

Rank	Company Name	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
1	Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company	127	99.2%	0.8%
2	American Family Mutual Insurance C	61	100%	0%
3	American Family Mutual Insurance Company Si	23	95.7%	4.4%
4	CMFG Life Insurance Company D B a Trust	15	100%	0%
5	Skygen USA, LLC	8	100%	0%
5	Robert W Baird and Company Incorporated	8	100%	0%
7	Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corpor	5	100%	0%
8	State of Wisconsin Investment Boar	4	100%	0%
8	Fairway Independent Mortgage Corpo	4	100%	0%
8	Sentry Insurance a Mutual Company	4	100%	0%
8	Associated Banc- D B a Associa, Corp.	4	100%	0%
12	Artisan Partners Limited Partnersh	3	100%	0%
12	West Bend Mutual Insurance Company	3	100%	0%
12	Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company	3	100%	0%
12	Tidal Investments, LLC	3	100%	0%
16	Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation	2	100%	0%
16	Church Mutual Insurance Company Si	2	100%	0%
18	State of Wisconsin Investment Board	1	100%	0%
18	Familia Dental Madison East, LLC	1	100%	0%
18	CMFG Life Insurance Company	1	100%	0%
18	Uline, Inc.	1	100%	0%
18	H7 Capital Management, LLC	1	100%	0%
18	American Family Connect Property and Casualty Insurance	1	100%	0%
18	Ge Precision Healthcare, LLC	1	100%	0%
18	Afics, Inc.	1	100%	0%
18	Capitol Indemnity Corporation D B	1	100%	0%
18	Summit Credit Union	1	100%	0%
18	Fewi Development Corporation	1	100%	0%
18	New Holland Credit Company, LLC	1	100%	0%