Employers classified under the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction industry based in Arizona submitted 66 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, 64 were approved (97%), while two were denied (3%).
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, Arizona employers across all industries submitted 6,313 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.3%.
While the Manufacturing industry led the H-1B filings with 3,468 petitions, representing 54.9% of all submissions in Arizona during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, which accounted for 1,157 petitions and represented 18.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry, 3,422 were approved and 46 were denied.
The Arizona employers which made the most petitions in the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector during 2024 included Freeport Minerals Corporation with 18 petitions and Freeport-Mcmoran Morenci, Inc. with 13 petitions.
Compared to 2023, the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector in Arizona saw a 43.5% 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 | 3,468 | 54.9% | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,157 | 18.3% | 97.2% | 2.8% |
| 3 | Educational Services | 625 | 9.9% | 98.1% | 1.9% |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 236 | 3.7% | 98.3% | 1.7% |
| 5 | Information | 176 | 2.8% | 98.3% | 1.7% |
| 6 | Finance and Insurance | 130 | 2.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 125 | 2% | 98.4% | 1.6% |
| 8 | Construction | 75 | 1.2% | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| 9 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 66 | 1.1% | 97% | 3% |
| 10 | Wholesale Trade | 63 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Accommodation and Food Services | 47 | 0.7% | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| 12 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 46 | 0.7% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| 13 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 42 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Utilities | 19 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Transportation and Warehousing | 14 | 0.2% | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| 16 | Public Administration | 10 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 9 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
Top Employers in Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction Industry in Arizona, 2024
| Rank | Company Name | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freeport Minerals Corporation | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Freeport-Mcmoran Morenci, Inc. | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Freeport-Mcmoran Safford, Inc. | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Freeport-Mcmoran Bagdad, Inc. | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Freeport-Mcmoran Exploration Corpo | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Freeport-Mcmoran Chino Mines Compa | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Asarco, LLC | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Resolution Copper Company | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Phelps Dodge Refining, Corp. | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 8 | Freeport Mcmoran Safford, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Modular Mining Systems, Inc. | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 8 | Climax Molybdenum Company | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | BHP Minerals Service Company | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Freeport-Mcmoran Sierrita, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Copper World, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Freeport-Mcmoran Miami, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Mako US, Corp. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Hexagon Mining, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Freeport-Mcmoran Tyrone Mining, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
