Show-Me State Times

Employers classified under the Finance and Insurance industry based in Missouri submitted 812 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, 809 were approved (99.6%), while three were denied (0.4%).

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, Missouri employers across all industries submitted 4,266 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98%.

The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings in Missouri during 2024, with 1,548 petitions (36.3% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 97.1%. Meanwhile, the Finance and Insurance industry was the second largest contributor, filing 812 petitions (19% of the total), with an approval rate of 99.6%.

The Missouri employers which made the most petitions in the Finance and Insurance sector during 2024 included Cigna-Evernorth Services, Inc. with 277 petitions, Mastercard Technologies, LLC with 229 petitions, and Centene Management Company, LLC with 117 petitions.

Compared to 2023, the Finance and Insurance sector in Missouri saw a 12% 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	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	1,548	36.3%	97.1%	2.9%
2	Finance and Insurance	812	19%	99.6%	0.4%
3	Educational Services	751	17.6%	98%	2%
4	Health Care and Social Assistance	373	8.7%	97.1%	3%
5	Information	359	8.4%	98.6%	1.4%
6	Manufacturing	210	4.9%	98.1%	1.9%
7	Construction	59	1.4%	100%	0%
8	Wholesale Trade	33	0.8%	100%	0%
9	Retail Trade	28	0.7%	100%	0%
10	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	17	0.4%	100%	0%
11	Transportation and Warehousing	14	0.3%	100%	0%
12	Other Services (except Public Administration)	13	0.3%	100%	0%
12	Accommodation and Food Services	13	0.3%	92.3%	7.7%
14	Utilities	11	0.3%	100%	0%
15	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	10	0.2%	100%	0%
16	Management of Companies and Enterprises	8	0.2%	100%	0%
17	Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	3	0.1%	100%	0%
17	Public Administration	3	0.1%	100%	0%
19	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	1	0%	100%	0%

Rank	Company Name	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
1	Cigna-Evernorth Services, Inc.	277	99.3%	0.7%
2	Mastercard Technologies, LLC	229	100%	0%
3	Centene Management Company, LLC	117	99.2%	0.9%
4	Cigna Evernorth Services, Inc.	56	100%	0%
5	RGA Enterprise Services Company	45	100%	0%
6	UMB Bank, NA	14	100%	0%
7	Veterans United Home Loans	8	100%	0%
8	Stifel Financial, Corp.	6	100%	0%
9	Bunge Management Services, Inc.	5	100%	0%
9	Lockton Management, LLC	5	100%	0%
11	Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company	4	100%	0%
11	Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kans	4	100%	0%
13	Lead Bank	3	100%	0%
13	American Century Services, LLC	3	100%	0%
13	Bunge North America, Inc.	3	100%	0%
13	The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Lou	3	100%	0%
17	Sogotrade, Inc.	2	100%	0%
17	American Century Investment Management	2	100%	0%
17	Government Employees Health Associ	2	100%	0%
20	Propartners Team, LLC	1	100%	0%
20	Forrest T Jones and Company	1	100%	0%
20	Mastercard International Incorporated	1	100%	0%
20	Warson Capital Partners, LLC	1	100%	0%
20	Oakstar Bank	1	100%	0%
20	Express Scripts Pharmaceutical Procurement, LLC	1	100%	0%
20	Bunge Global Markets, Inc.	1	100%	0%
20	Cigna Evernorth Services	1	100%	0%
20	Nuance Investments, LLC	1	100%	0%
20	Enterprise Bank and Trust	1	100%	0%
20	See Additional Information	1	100%	0%
20	North American Savings Bank F S B	1	100%	0%
20	Edward D Jones & Company L P	1	100%	0%
20	IPFS Corporation	1	100%	0%
20	Bunge Oils, Inc.	1	100%	0%
20	Triad Capital Advisors, Inc.	1	100%	0%
20	Nisa Investment Advisors, LLC	1	100%	0%
20	Commerce Bank	1	100%	0%
20	Renaissance Financial, Corp.	1	100%	0%
20	Moss and Main, LLC	1	100%	0%
20	Rabo Agrifinance, LLC	1	100%	0%
20	Gatewood Wealth Solutions	1	100%	0%
20	Bunge Milling, Inc.	1	100%	0%
20	The Bank of Missouri	1	100%	0%