The territory of NIW candidacy.
Every profile fails and succeeds differently. Walk the map.
The filing-stage reality · USCIS official data · FY2026 Q2
Across all I-140 NIW petitions, the approval rate moved from 85% (FY2023 Q1) to 48.1% (FY2026 Q2), against 89,215 pending. The coded record below is the appeal population — the cases that were denied and contested, an exception to the figures above.
5,010coded decisions sit on this map, and which gap gets named depends on the profile, not on effort. A placement shows which profile the record reads yours as.See where your profile sits — 90 seconds →
Archetypes · 5,010 coded decisions
Founders & Entrepreneurs
1,518Named most often here: Economic claims unsupported.
Business, Finance & Management623
Economic claims unsupported
Computer Science & IT178
Economic claims unsupported
Healthcare & Clinical Practice166
Economic claims unsupported
Engineering159
Economic claims unsupported
Other138
Economic claims unsupported
Aviation & Transportation97
Economic claims unsupported
Creative Fields, Architecture & Design51
Economic claims unsupported
Education42
Economic claims unsupported
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment28
Economic claims unsupported
Social Sciences, Policy & Law15
Economic claims unsupported
Life Sciences & Biomedical13
Economic claims unsupported
Agriculture & Food Science8
Economic claims unsupported
Industry Employees
1,369Named most often here: Economic claims unsupported.
Computer Science & IT455
Field importance conflated with endeavor
Business, Finance & Management338
Economic claims unsupported
Engineering307
Field importance conflated with endeavor
Aviation & Transportation126
Economic claims unsupported
Other47
Economic claims unsupported
Healthcare & Clinical Practice38
Economic claims unsupported
Creative Fields, Architecture & Design19
Economic claims unsupported
Life Sciences & Biomedical15
Economic claims unsupported
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment13
Economic claims unsupported
Social Sciences, Policy & Law6
Economic claims unsupported
Agriculture & Food Science5
Economic claims unsupported
Consultants
576Named most often here: Economic claims unsupported.
Business, Finance & Management362
Economic claims unsupported
Computer Science & IT60
Economic claims unsupported
Engineering40
Field importance conflated with endeavor
Healthcare & Clinical Practice38
Economic claims unsupported
Social Sciences, Policy & Law35
Economic claims unsupported
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment11
Economic claims unsupported
Other10
Economic claims unsupported
Aviation & Transportation9
Economic claims unsupported
Education5
Economic claims unsupported
Other
454Named most often here: Endeavor too vague.
Other160
Endeavor too vague
Business, Finance & Management77
Endeavor too vague
Aviation & Transportation47
Field importance conflated with endeavor
Social Sciences, Policy & Law39
Endeavor too vague
Healthcare & Clinical Practice34
Endeavor too vague
Creative Fields, Architecture & Design34
Endeavor too vague
Education21
Economic claims unsupported
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment18
Endeavor too vague
Engineering13
Endeavor too vague
Computer Science & IT10
Endeavor too vague
Researchers & Academics
451Named most often here: Record of success insufficient.
Computer Science & IT107
Citations insufficient
Life Sciences & Biomedical101
Record of success insufficient
Engineering84
Citations insufficient
Healthcare & Clinical Practice44
Record of success insufficient
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment37
Record of success insufficient
Other20
Letters conclusory
Social Sciences, Policy & Law16
Record of success insufficient
Aviation & Transportation13
Record of success insufficient
Education11
Record of success insufficient
Business, Finance & Management9
Record of success insufficient
Agriculture & Food Science7
Record of success insufficient
Statistics from the coded record (2016–2026) (5,010 decisions). Methodology
AAO appeal decisions through 21 July 2026.