We now have Quarter 4 H1B visa FY 2023 data and Quarter 4 PERM visa FY 2023 data and Quarter 4 H2A visa FY 2023 data.
Employer Search tool is moved to it's own page: "H1B Visa Data Search Tool"

Illinois Foreign Labor Visa Stats (All Years)

Total Visas	% of all Visas	Average Wage	Visa Type
328,359	91.53%	$77,136	H-1B
25,222	7.03%	$170,962	PERM
3,529	0.98%	$97,739	E-3 Australian
1,637	0.46%	$32,808	H-2A

As of May 2023, Illinois has seen a total of 358,747 visa workers across all visa types. The most common visa class in Illinois is the H-1B visa with 328,359 H-1B visas on record over all years accounting for 91.53% of Illinois's total visas. The second most prevalent visa is the PERM visa with 25,222 PERM visas on record over all years accounting for 7.03% of Illinois's total visas.

Top Occupations in Illinois (All Years)

Occupation	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Software Developers, Applications	57,428	$82,137	91.17%
Computer Systems Analysts	43,588	$70,026	93.01%
Computer Programmers	26,288	$60,399	90.11%
Computer Occupations, All Other	16,306	$71,696	93.08%
Software Developers, Systems Software	7,938	$88,370	89.92%
Management Analysts	7,810	$82,130	93.16%
Mechanical Engineers	6,594	$71,571	89.11%
Operations Research Analysts	5,558	$76,494	82.81%
Accountants and Auditors	5,354	$60,254	89.16%
Computer and Information Systems Managers	4,120	$129,163	71.89%

Occupation	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse	690	$32,565	279.35%
Agricultural Equipment Operators	512	$33,920	312.20%
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop	126	$31,623	78.26%
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals	46	$35,314	54.12%
Construction Laborers	26	$41,537	33.33%
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	21	$52,506	28.38%
Nursery Workers	11	$31,085	16.18%
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers	10	$64,395	16.39%
Helpers--Carpenters	8	$37,359	14.04%
Carpenters	4	$53,984	7.14%

Occupation	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Software Developers, Applications	6,694	$201,689	117.11%
Computer Systems Analysts	1,698	$445,103	79.64%
Computer Occupations, All Other	941	$95,453	46.72%
Software Developers, Systems Software	687	$98,111	74.19%
Computer and Information Systems Managers	657	$129,876	107.88%
Management Analysts	597	$101,971	102.05%
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	569	$53,257	124.24%
Statisticians	514	$68,476	120.66%
Accountants and Auditors	480	$74,291	112.94%
Mechanical Engineers	382	$79,406	102.14%

Illinois Employees Over Time

Illinois has been in the H1B Visa program since 2011 where 14,981 employees were hired. Illinois peaked in 2016 with 29,364 employees, and has since been on a decline with the most recent number of employees being 3,790 in 2025.

Top Countries with Workers in Illinois From PERM Program (All Years)

Country	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Kosovo	2	$66,571	50.00%
Senegal	2	$71,854	50.00%
Belize	2	$62,057	50.00%
Panama	2	$78,926	50.00%
Rwanda	2	$88,463	50.00%
Tajikistan	2	$39,489	66.67%
Austria	2	$51,001	66.67%
Cyprus	2	$80,777	66.67%
Estonia	2	$66,008	66.67%
Macau	2	$113,797	66.67%

Top Hiring Companies in Illinois (All Years)

Company	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Illinois State University	210	$48,388	90.52%
Management Health Systems Inc	209	$54,783	90.48%
Slk America Inc	208	$79,141	90.43%
Ivy Tech Solutions Inc	208	$62,235	90.43%
Archer Daniels Midland Company	205	$79,604	89.13%
Axiscades Inc	204	$66,058	89.08%
Trinuc Llc	203	$58,591	89.43%
Loyola University Chicago	202	$59,883	89.38%
Ces Usa Inc	201	$54,406	89.33%
Peterson Technology Partners Inc	200	$70,349	88.89%

Company	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Deerpath Nursery	3	$35,526	100.00%
Frey Produce Frey Brothers 2	3	$22,908	100.00%
Clarence Kloth Jr	3	$35,526	100.00%
S M Hernandez And Sons Inc	3	$23,781	100.00%
H2a Complete Ii Inc 3	3	$35,124	100.00%
Munie Farms Llc	3	$35,526	100.00%
Debatin Farms Ltd	3	$22,124	100.00%
Barry Mcmillin	2	$26,083	100.00%
Scott Becker	2	$36,764	100.00%
Bailey Nurseries Inc	2	$33,051	100.00%

Company	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Peapod Digital Labs Llc	16	$109,737	33.33%
Ak Information Technologies Inc	16	$105,617	33.33%
Foot Locker Corporate Services Inc	16	$108,771	33.33%
Simplify Healthcare Technology	16	$96,671	34.04%
Dm Express Inc	16	$54,747	34.04%
Select Minds Llc	16	$76,549	34.04%
Columbia College Chicago	15	$40,471	32.61%
Global Data Solutions Inc	15	$98,487	33.33%
Cnh America Llc	15	$97,778	33.33%
Sc Electric Company	15	$76,808	33.33%

Top Industries in Illinois (All Years)

Industry	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing	65	$80,466	86.67%
Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing	64	$107,822	86.49%
Insurance And Employee Benefit Funds	64	$78,741	86.49%
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers	64	$49,990	86.49%
Civic And Social Organizations	63	$62,951	85.14%
Instrument Manufacturing For Measuring And Testing Electricity And Electrical Signals	63	$79,043	86.30%
Paint And Coating Manufacturing	63	$83,173	87.50%
Direct Life Insurance Carriers	63	$95,777	87.50%
Other Metal Valve And Pipe Fitting Manufacturing	62	$82,089	87.32%
All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing	62	$77,666	87.32%

Industry	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %

Industry	# of Jobs	Avg Wage	Approval %
Lessors Of Real Estate	19	$97,282	86.36%
Grocery And Related Product Merchant Wholesalers	19	$60,036	90.48%
Sales Financing	19	$102,688	90.48%
Petroleum Refineries	18	$103,737	85.71%
Legal Services	18	$59,106	85.71%
Other Aircraft Parts And Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing	18	$96,541	90.00%
Miscellaneous Intermediation	18	$83,222	90.00%
Offices Of Bank Holding Companies	18	$116,504	90.00%
Mortgage And Nonmortgage Loan Brokers	18	$62,131	90.00%
Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing	17	$86,272	85.00%

Illinois Wage Comparison to Other States (All Years)

The chart below compares The average wage in Illinois to that of the top 9 states with the highest overall average H1-B wage. The average wage in Illinois over all years is $77,136. The state with the highest average wage of H1-B workers for all states is CA with an average wage of $104,510.