Enchantment State News

Employers classified under the Educational Services industry based in New Mexico submitted 311 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, 309 were approved (99.4%), while two were denied (0.6%).

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.

The average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98%, higher than 2023's 97.3%. Statewide, New Mexico employers across all industries submitted 767 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 97%.

The Educational Services industry led the H-1B filings in New Mexico during 2024, with 311 petitions (40.6% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 99.4%. Meanwhile, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry was the second largest contributor, filing 267 petitions (34.8% of the total), with an approval rate of 95.5%.

The New Mexico employers which made the most petitions in the Educational Services sector during 2024 included University of New Mexico with 54 petitions, Grants Cibola County Schools with 31 petitions, and New Mexico State University with 26 petitions.

Compared to 2023, the Educational Services sector in New Mexico saw an 8.7% 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	311	40.6%	99.4%	0.6%
2	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	267	34.8%	95.5%	4.5%
3	Health Care and Social Assistance	122	15.9%	98.4%	1.6%
4	Public Administration	14	1.8%	100%	0%
5	Manufacturing	10	1.3%	90%	10%
6	Information	9	1.2%	100%	0%
7	Retail Trade	7	0.9%	14.3%	85.7%
7	Utilities	7	0.9%	100%	0%
9	Finance and Insurance	5	0.7%	100%	0%
9	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	5	0.7%	100%	0%
11	Other Services (except Public Administration)	4	0.5%	100%	0%
12	Construction	3	0.4%	100%	0%
13	Wholesale Trade	1	0.1%	100%	0%
13	Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	1	0.1%	100%	0%
13	Transportation and Warehousing	1	0.1%	100%	0%

Rank	Company Name	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
1	University of New Mexico	54	98.2%	1.9%
2	Grants Cibola County Schools	31	100%	0%
3	New Mexico State University	26	100%	0%
4	Central Consolidated School District	24	100%	0%
5	Mas Charter Schools	20	95%	5%
6	Gallup Mckinley County Schools	16	100%	0%
7	Santa Fe Public Schools	12	100%	0%
7	Eastern New Mexico University	12	100%	0%
7	Hobbs Municipal Schools	12	100%	0%
10	New Mexico Institute of Mining and	11	100%	0%
11	Zuni Public School District 89	7	100%	0%
12	Ruidoso Municipal Schools	6	100%	0%
13	Navajo Technical University	5	100%	0%
13	Belen Consolidated Schools	5	100%	0%
13	Espanola Public Schools	5	100%	0%
16	Western New Mexico University	4	100%	0%
16	Albuquerque School of Excellence	4	100%	0%
16	University of New Mexico Hospitals	4	100%	0%
19	New Mexico Military Institute	3	100%	0%
19	Cien Aguas International School	3	100%	0%
19	Albuquerque Public Schools	3	100%	0%
22	Las Vegas City Schools	2	100%	0%
22	Socorro Consolidated Schools	2	100%	0%
22	Bernalillo Public Schools	2	100%	0%
22	Las Cruces Public Schools	2	100%	0%
22	Vaughn Municipal Schools	2	100%	0%
22	Neelzhiin Ji Olta Inc., NA	2	100%	0%
22	Farmington Municipal Schools	2	100%	0%
22	Montezuma Cortez School District	2	100%	0%
22	Jemez Mountain Public Schools	2	100%	0%
22	San Juan College	2	100%	0%
22	Southwest Preparatory Learning Cen	2	100%	0%
33	Dexter Consolidated Schools	1	100%	0%
33	Deming Public Schools	1	100%	0%
33	School of Dreams Academy	1	100%	0%
33	Neelzhiin Ji Olta NJO School, NA	1	100%	0%
33	Torc Municipal Schools	1	100%	0%
33	New Mexico School for the Blind an	1	100%	0%
33	Laguna Department of Education	1	100%	0%
33	Cottonwood Valley Charter School	1	100%	0%
33	Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools	1	100%	0%
33	Tohajiilee Community School Board	1	100%	0%
33	Artesia Public Schools	1	100%	0%
33	Jemez Valley Public Schools	1	100%	0%
33	Clayton Municipal Schools	1	100%	0%
33	The Great Academy	1	100%	0%
33	New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology	1	100%	0%
33	Santa Fe Preparatory School	1	100%	0%
33	Mccurdy Charter School	1	100%	0%
33	Taos Municipal Charter School	1	100%	0%
33	Chama Valley Independent School District	1	100%	0%
33	Dulce Independent School District	1	100%	0%
33	New Mexico Highlands University	1	100%	0%
33	Hagerman Municipal Schools	1	100%	0%