A new national analysis finds Elkhart County employers rely far less on H-1B visa workers than many other parts of the country.
The study, conducted on behalf of the immigration law firm Manifest Law, examined where companies are hiring foreign workers through the H-1B visa program. The program allows employers to fill specialty occupations that typically require advanced skills in fields such as engineering, technology and health care.
Nationwide, employers hired 182,973 new H-1B workers in 2025, or about 11.5 per 10,000 workers. The professional, scientific and technical services sector accounted for the largest share of those hires.
In Elkhart County, the rate was significantly lower.
The county recorded 25 new H-1B hires in 2025, or about 1.9 per 10,000 workers, well below the national average.
Manufacturing accounted for the largest share of H-1B approvals locally, reflecting the county’s industrial base. Nationally, professional, scientific and technical services led H-1B sponsorship.
The analysis draws on data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Researchers ranked regions by new H-1B hires per 10,000 workers to measure how heavily local labor markets depend on the program.
