Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers

H-1B Petitions Approved by Country of Birth of Beneficiary for All Beneficiaries (count)

H-1B Petitions Approved by Country of Birth of Beneficiary for All Beneficiaries (percent) 
                 Country    2003    2004    2005    2006    2007    2008    2009    2010    2011    2012    2013    2014    2015    2016    2017
------------------------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
                   Total 217,340 287,418 267,131 270,981 281,444 276,252 214,271 192,990 269,653 262,569 286,773 315,857 275,317 345,262 365,682
                   India  79,166 123,567 118,520 135,329 147,559 149,629 103,059 102,911 156,317 168,367 187,270 220,286 195,247 256,226 276,423
China, People's Republic  20,063  26,258  24,561  23,638  24,497  24,174  20,855  17,101  23,787  19,850  23,429  26,393  26,669  31,995  34,477
                  Canada  11,160  13,412  11,780  10,996  11,038  10,681   9,605   7,260   9,362   7,999   7,971   6,853   3,607   3,442   3,758
             Philippines  10,454  11,300   9,965   8,870   9,380   9,606   8,682   6,172   7,582   5,304   6,152   5,157   3,146   3,822   3,735
             South Korea   6,614   8,159   8,072   7,570   7,663   6,988   6,968   5,623   6,689   4,579   4,843   4,390   3,470   3,620   3,307
                  Mexico   3,407   3,884   3,605   3,435   3,803   3,721   3,346   2,632   3,473   3,047   3,114   2,768   2,017   2,104   2,365
                  Taiwan   4,076   4,860   4,285   3,919   4,046   3,708   3,218   2,360   2,937   2,387   2,470   2,406   2,060   2,208   2,144
          United Kingdom   7,599   8,198   6,796   5,995   5,348   4,494   4,180   3,848   4,629   3,535   3,680   3,307   2,241   2,135   1,882
                Pakistan   3,549   4,174   4,120   3,781   3,634   3,509   2,556   2,227   2,552   1,997   2,147   1,923   1,602   1,694   1,643
                  France   3,190   3,735   3,116   2,851   2,755   2,526   2,308   2,160   2,653   2,232   2,322   2,218   1,794   1,841   1,542
                  Brazil   2,354   2,688   2,506   2,242   2,246   2,010   1,837   1,624   2,010   1,712   1,649   1,546   1,388   1,528   1,501
                    Iran      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA   1,057   1,250   1,390
                  Turkey   2,305   2,796   2,665   2,367   2,587   2,481   2,227   1,934   2,161   1,774   1,683   1,619   1,196   1,360   1,289
                   Nepal      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA   1,406   1,231   1,072   1,566   1,636   1,652   1,735   1,385   1,501   1,279
                 Germany   3,408   3,981   3,449   3,082   2,646   2,426   2,107   1,864   2,193   1,816   1,767   1,625   1,325   1,377   1,272
                   Japan   5,716   6,234   5,727   5,181   4,534   4,312   3,825   2,781   3,274   2,542   2,464   1,983   1,398   1,413   1,269
                   Italy      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA   1,135   1,186   1,107   1,351   1,332   1,381   1,283   1,035   1,108   1,019
                  Russia   2,905   3,421   2,694   2,477   2,137   1,796   1,396   1,162   1,514   1,321   1,313   1,241   1,056   1,040     942
                   Spain      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA     839   1,198   1,015   1,188   1,155     938     978     942
                Colombia   3,125   3,892   3,444   2,833   2,776   2,619   2,027   1,527   1,786   1,392   1,361   1,290     949     976     907
               Venezuela   2,677   3,027   2,930   2,351   2,306   2,022   1,766   1,507   1,734   1,494   1,310   1,230     976   1,066     900
               Argentina   2,230   2,384   2,299   1,743   1,561   1,460   1,181      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
                Malaysia      NA      NA   1,791   1,624   1,646      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
                  Israel   1,841   2,173   1,804   1,622   1,471      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
               Australia   1,925   2,128      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
Country of birth unknown     309       0      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
         Other countries  39,267  47,147  43,002  39,075  37,811  35,549  30,711  25,279  30,885  27,238  27,607  25,449  20,761  22,578  21,696

H-1B Petitions Approved by Country of Birth of Beneficiary for All Beneficiaries (percent)

                 Country  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017
------------------------ ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
                   Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
                   India  36.4  43.0  44.4  49.9  52.4  54.2  48.1  53.3  58.0  64.1  65.3  69.7  70.9  74.2  75.6
China, People's Republic   9.2   9.1   9.2   8.7   8.7   8.8   9.7   8.9   8.8   7.6   8.2   8.4   9.7   9.3   9.4
                  Canada   5.1   4.7   4.4   4.1   3.9   3.9   4.5   3.8   3.5   3.0   2.8   2.2   1.3   1.0   1.0
             Philippines   4.8   3.9   3.7   3.3   3.3   3.5   4.1   3.2   2.8   2.0   2.1   1.6   1.1   1.1   1.0
             South Korea   3.0   2.8   3.0   2.8   2.7   2.5   3.3   2.9   2.5   1.7   1.7   1.4   1.3   1.0   0.9
                  Mexico   1.6   1.4   1.3   1.3   1.4   1.3   1.6   1.4   1.3   1.2   1.1   0.9   0.7   0.6   0.6
                  Taiwan   1.9   1.7   1.6   1.4   1.4   1.3   1.5   1.2   1.1   0.9   0.9   0.8   0.7   0.6   0.6
          United Kingdom   3.5   2.9   2.5   2.2   1.9   1.6   2.0   2.0   1.7   1.3   1.3   1.0   0.8   0.6   0.5
                Pakistan   1.6   1.5   1.5   1.4   1.3   1.3   1.2   1.2   0.9   0.8   0.7   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.4
                  France   1.5   1.3   1.2   1.1   1.0   0.9   1.1   1.1   1.0   0.9   0.8   0.7   0.7   0.5   0.4
                  Brazil   1.1   0.9   0.9   0.8   0.8   0.7   0.9   0.8   0.7   0.7   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.4   0.4
                    Iran    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA   0.4   0.4   0.4
                  Turkey   1.1   1.0   1.0   0.9   0.9   0.9   1.0   1.0   0.8   0.7   0.6   0.5   0.4   0.4   0.4
                   Nepal    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA   0.5   0.6   0.6   0.6   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.4   0.3
                 Germany   1.6   1.4   1.3   1.1   0.9   0.9   1.0   1.0   0.8   0.7   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.4   0.3
                   Japan   2.6   2.2   2.1   1.9   1.6   1.6   1.8   1.4   1.2   1.0   0.9   0.6   0.5   0.4   0.3
                   Italy    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA   0.4   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.5   0.4   0.4   0.3   0.3
                  Russia   1.3   1.2   1.0   0.9   0.8   0.7   0.7   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.4   0.4   0.3   0.3
                   Spain    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA   0.4   0.4   0.4   0.4   0.4   0.3   0.3   0.3
                Colombia   1.4   1.4   1.3   1.0   1.0   0.9   0.9   0.8   0.7   0.5   0.5   0.4   0.3   0.3   0.2
               Venezuela   1.2   1.1   1.1   0.9   0.8   0.7   0.8   0.8   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.4   0.4   0.3   0.2
               Argentina   1.0   0.8   0.9   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.6    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
                Malaysia    NA    NA   0.7   0.6   0.6    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
                  Israel   0.8   0.8   0.7   0.6   0.5    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
               Australia   0.9   0.7    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
Country of birth unknown   0.1   0.0    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
         Other countries  18.1  16.4  16.1  14.4  13.4  12.9  14.3  13.1  11.5  10.4   9.6   8.1   7.5   6.5   5.9

H-1B Petitions Approved by Country of Birth of Beneficiary for Initial Employment (count)

H-1B Petitions Approved by Country of Birth of Beneficiary for Initial Employment (percent) 
                 Country    2003    2004    2005    2006    2007    2008   2009   2010    2011    2012    2013    2014    2015    2016    2017
                   Total 105,314 130,497 116,927 109,614 120,031 109,335 86,300 76,627 106,445 136,890 128,291 124,326 113,603 114,503 108,101
                   India  29,269  60,062  57,349  59,612  66,504  61,739 33,961 34,617  55,972  86,477  81,992  82,263  71,263  70,737  67,815
China, People's Republic  11,144  11,365  10,643   9,859  10,890   9,157  8,989  7,480  10,165  11,409  12,651  13,708  15,438  16,781  15,165
                  Canada   6,201   5,229   4,246   3,587   3,972   3,968  4,579  2,979   3,584   3,660   3,096   2,561   1,823   1,781   2,226
             South Korea   3,893   3,924   3,831   3,313   3,612   3,029  3,919  3,150   3,407   2,662   2,310   2,012   1,870   1,857   1,442
             Philippines   6,852   4,783   3,316   2,829   3,696   3,957  3,734  2,104   2,020   1,863   1,673   1,318   1,215   1,226   1,295
                  Mexico   1,969   1,601   1,206   1,169   1,476   1,375  1,614  1,124   1,367   1,528   1,260   1,038     970     940   1,285
                  Taiwan   2,109   1,922   1,795   1,602   1,997   1,818  1,856  1,267   1,455   1,368   1,260   1,176   1,112   1,239   1,052
          United Kingdom   3,871   3,391   2,407   1,712   1,499   1,333  1,991  2,125   2,573   2,013   1,595   1,211   1,015     967     833
                    Iran      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA     NA     NA      NA      NA      NA      NA     739     784     814
                  Brazil   1,307   1,201   1,071     843     894     784    964    884   1,105     996     765     692     751     842     786
                  France   1,621   1,622   1,228     977   1,005     879  1,256  1,264   1,517   1,377   1,161     920     906     879     721
                Pakistan   1,501   1,536   1,535   1,263   1,302   1,315  1,003    806     891     851     851     787     749     725     694
                 Germany   1,788   1,769   1,475   1,186     994     895  1,031  1,059   1,210   1,083     900     751     706     732     633
                  Turkey   1,311   1,328   1,188     908   1,196   1,054  1,175    948     967     989     801     672     611     662     571
                   Italy      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA     489    695    657     816     804     760     634     573     608     501
                  Russia   1,265   1,308     962     797     665     541    692    647     873     829     741     573     550     542     463
                   Nepal      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA     783    668    500     719     932     844     769     666     603     462
                   Japan   3,287   2,845   2,379   1,829   1,584   1,334  1,710  1,189   1,276   1,171     929     691     634     560     459
                   Spain      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA     NA    475     684     632     716     573     559     539     450
                Colombia   1,771   1,578   1,214     872     826     740    795    652     705     623     529     447     421     442     375
               Venezuela   1,798   1,532   1,122     726     717     579    697    752     846     807     583     439     461     483     317
               Argentina   1,479   1,118     793     521     460     400    457     NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
                Malaysia      NA      NA     775     458     521      NA     NA     NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
                  Israel   1,085   1,053     594     516     509      NA     NA     NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
               Australia     986     907      NA      NA      NA      NA     NA     NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
Country of birth unknown     129       0      NA      NA      NA      NA     NA     NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA      NA
         Other countries  20,678  20,423  17,798  15,035  15,712  13,166 14,514 11,948  14,293  14,816  12,874  11,091  10,371  10,574   9,742

H-1B Petitions Approved by Country of Birth of Beneficiary for Initial Employment (percent)

                 Country  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017
                   Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
                   India  27.8  46.0  49.0  54.4  55.4  56.5  39.4  45.2  52.6  63.2  63.9  66.2  62.7  61.8  62.7
China, People's Republic  10.6   8.7   9.1   9.0   9.1   8.4  10.4   9.8   9.5   8.3   9.9  11.0  13.6  14.7  14.0
                  Canada   5.9   4.0   3.6   3.3   3.3   3.6   5.3   3.9   3.4   2.7   2.4   2.1   1.6   1.6   2.1
             South Korea   3.7   3.0   3.3   3.0   3.0   2.8   4.5   4.1   3.2   1.9   1.8   1.6   1.6   1.6   1.3
             Philippines   6.5   3.7   2.8   2.6   3.1   3.6   4.3   2.7   1.9   1.4   1.3   1.1   1.1   1.1   1.2
                  Mexico   1.9   1.2   1.0   1.1   1.2   1.3   1.9   1.5   1.3   1.1   1.0   0.8   0.9   0.8   1.2
                  Taiwan   2.0   1.5   1.5   1.5   1.7   1.7   2.2   1.7   1.4   1.0   1.0   0.9   1.0   1.1   1.0
          United Kingdom   3.7   2.6   2.1   1.6   1.2   1.2   2.3   2.8   2.4   1.5   1.2   1.0   0.9   0.8   0.8
                    Iran    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA   0.7   0.7   0.8
                  Brazil   1.2   0.9   0.9   0.8   0.7   0.7   1.1   1.2   1.0   0.7   0.6   0.6   0.7   0.7   0.7
                  France   1.5   1.2   1.1   0.9   0.8   0.8   1.5   1.6   1.4   1.0   0.9   0.7   0.8   0.8   0.7
                Pakistan   1.4   1.2   1.3   1.2   1.1   1.2   1.2   1.1   0.8   0.6   0.7   0.6   0.7   0.6   0.6
                 Germany   1.7   1.4   1.3   1.1   0.8   0.8   1.2   1.4   1.1   0.8   0.7   0.6   0.6   0.6   0.6
                  Turkey   1.2   1.0   1.0   0.8   1.0   1.0   1.4   1.2   0.9   0.7   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.6   0.5
                   Italy    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA   0.4   0.8   0.9   0.8   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.5   0.5
                  Russia   1.2   1.0   0.8   0.7   0.6   0.5   0.8   0.8   0.8   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.5   0.4
                   Nepal    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA   0.7   0.8   0.7   0.7   0.7   0.7   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.4
                   Japan   3.1   2.2   2.0   1.7   1.3   1.2   2.0   1.6   1.2   0.9   0.7   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.4
                   Spain    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA   0.6   0.6   0.5   0.6   0.5   0.5   0.5   0.4
                Colombia   1.7   1.2   1.0   0.8   0.7   0.7   0.9   0.9   0.7   0.5   0.4   0.4   0.4   0.4   0.3
               Venezuela   1.7   1.2   1.0   0.7   0.6   0.5   0.8   1.0   0.8   0.6   0.5   0.4   0.4   0.4   0.3
               Argentina   1.4   0.9   0.7   0.5   0.4   0.4   0.5    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
                Malaysia    NA    NA   0.7   0.4   0.4    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
                  Israel   1.0   0.8   0.5   0.5   0.4    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
               Australia   0.9   0.7    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
Country of birth unknown   0.1   0.0    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
         Other countries  19.6  15.7  15.2  13.7  13.1  12.0  16.8  15.6  13.4  10.8  10.0   8.9   9.1   9.2   9.0

Sources

  • 2003: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2004, Table 4A
  • 2004: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2004, Table 4A
  • 2005: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2006, Table 4A
  • 2006: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2007, Table 4A
  • 2007: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2007, Table 4A
  • 2008: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2009, Table 4A, (download)
  • 2009: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2009, Table 4A, (download)
  • 2010: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2011, Table 4A
  • 2011: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2012, Table 4A
  • 2012: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2012, Table 4A
  • 2013: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2014, Table 4A
  • 2014: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2014, Table 4A
  • 2015: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2016, Table 4A
  • 2016: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2016, Table 4A
  • 2017: Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2017, Table 4A
    OPT Data
    H-1B Data
    H-1B and Related Data by State
    Birthplaces of Software Developers in U.S.
    Non-citizen Percentage of Various Occupations by U.S. State