The USCIS has just released its Characteristicsof H1B Specialty Occupation Workers report. As its name implies, the report contendsloads of data about the H-1B program. Notablefor readers of this blog is that Occupations in Health and Medicine made up approximatelyfive percent of all H-1Bs petitions approved in 2012 (Table 8A). Keep in mind that these figures include H-1Bextensions and concurrent H-1Bs. Thedata does not break out H-1B cap-subject petitions.
The report details a load ofinteresting data, including the below excerpt from the summary. The data refutes much of the complaints aboutthe H-1B program, including the criticism that it is used as a way to facilitatecheap foreign labor. The median salaryof $70,000 is much higher than the USmedian salary of $26,695. The averageComputer Programmer salary was $71,380, more or less in-line with theoverall H-1B salary figure listed in this report.
· The number of H-1B petitions filed increased 15percent from 267,654 in FY 2011 to 307,713 in FY 2012.
· The number of H-1B petitions approved decreased3 percent from 269,653 in FY 2011 to 262,569 in FY 2012.
· Seventy-two percent of H-1B petitions approvedin FY 2012 were for workers between the ages of 25 and 34.
· Forty-six percent of H-1B petitions approved inFY 2012 were for workers with a bachelor’s degree, forty-one percent had a master’sdegree, 8 percent had a doctorate, and 4 percent were for workers with aprofessional degree.
· Sixty-one percent of H-1B petitions approved inFY 2012 were for workers in computer-related occupations.
· The median salary of beneficiaries of approvedpetitions remained at $70,000 for both FYs 2011 and 2012.