Where Do H-1B Workers Land?

A new study by O2I, an expert outsourcing company with offices in the US and India, maps out how America's tech hubs and knowledge centers are using H-1B visas from 2019 to 2024. The analysis reveals significant regional concentrations and industry patterns in H-1B approvals. From Silicon Valley to Wall Street, the data tracks where H-1B talent is concentrated and which sectors drive the demand.

Key Takeaways

• Five states (CA, TX, NY, NJ, VA) account for more than half (52.8%) of all H-1B visa approvals in 2024.
• New Jersey dominates per-capita metrics with 3,080 approvals per million residents in 2024.
• Total H-1B approvals demonstrate a clear trend - peaking at 442,403 in 2022 before declining to 386,328 in 2023 and further dropping to 321,731 in 2024

Geographic Concentrations

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. These visas are typically designed for roles requiring specialized knowledge. The program is particularly prominent in the technology industry.

The H-1B visa distribution across states reveals significant geographic concentrations, with New Jersey ranking number one in per capita approvals at 3,081 visas per million residents This data "highlights the state's growing importance as a hub for pharmaceutical and financial services industries, which increasingly rely on specialized foreign talent.", explained Israel Paul, head of human resources at Flatworld Solutions, the parent company of O2I.

California leads in absolute numbers with 60,233 approvals, followed by Texas (38,615) and New York (28,487). However, when adjusted for population, the landscape changes dramatically - states like Massachusetts, Virginia, and Rhode Island show remarkably high per-capita rates. "The 2024 data shows that just five states account for 52.8% of all H-1B approvals, highlighting how concentrated our knowledge economy has become," said Paul.

Dominance of the Technology Sector

The industry distribution of H-1B visas shows a clear dominance of the technology and professional services sector. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (NAICS code 54) accounts for nearly half (45.94%) of all H-1B approvals with 145,486 visas. Manufacturing ranks second with 11.23% (35,564 visas), followed by Finance and Insurance at 9.66% (30,603 visas). Educational Services and Information Technology round out the top five, collectively accounting for about 17% of approvals.

"While major tech companies still lead in H-1B hiring, the presence of financial and consulting firms in the top ranks shows the broadening appeal of the H-1B program across various sectors of the American economy," said Paul.

Amazon on Top

The corporate landscape of H-1B visas is dominated by major technology companies, with Amazon's various entities (Development Center and Services) leading the pack with a combined total of over 2,700 approvals. The top 20 companies list reveals interesting patterns in hiring strategies - some companies like Meta Platforms and Apple show a preference for initial approvals (new hires), while others like Amazon.com Services and Compunnel Software Group have more continuing approvals (renewals). Traditional technology companies (Amazon, Meta, LinkedIn) are joined by telecommunications (Qualcomm), financial services (Citibank, Goldman Sachs), and consulting firms (Accenture, PWC) in the top ranks, demonstrating the broad reach of H-1B hiring across sectors.

Approved H-1B Visa by Employer

Concentration in Major Metropolitan Areas

The urban distribution of H-1B visas highlights the concentration of high-skilled foreign workers in major metropolitan areas, with New York City leading at 21,387 approvals, followed by San Francisco (8,027) and San Jose (6,899). This urban concentration aligns with the location of major tech hubs, financial centers, and educational institutions. Chicago and Santa Clara round out the top five cities, demonstrating how H-1B visa distribution closely follows the geography of America's knowledge economy centers.

The data shows a clear preference for coastal cities and established tech hubs, though there's also significant representation in emerging tech centers across the country. "The urban concentration of H-1B visas in cities like New York, San Francisco, and San Jose reflects not just job availability, but also these areas' capacity to attract and retain global talent through cultural diversity and quality of life factors," said Paul.

Peak in 2022

The evolution of H-1B visa trends from 2019 to 2024 paints a picture influenced by both market conditions and external events. Early years (2019-2021) experienced steady approval volumes with continuing approvals consistently outnumbering initial ones, suggesting a focus on retaining existing talent. A surge occurred in 2022 with approvals peaking at 442,403—a post-pandemic hiring spike. However, approval numbers took a downward turn in 2023, dropping to 386,328, and further declined in 2024 to 321,731.

Methodology

The data for this analysis were derived from the H-1B Employer Data Hub available at USCIS Reports and Studies. We consolidated datasets for the years 2019 to 2024. Each dataset was processed to extract key columns—namely initial approvals, continuing approvals, and total approvals. These figures were then aggregated annually to determine overall trends, while sub-analyses were performed on state, industry, company, and city levels. The analysis includes both absolute and per capita measurements to offer a comprehensive view of the H-1B visa distribution, adjusted for regional economic capacity and population.