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Food Preparation Workers

Occupation · SOC 2018 35-2021 · United States

SOC 2018 code
35-2021
Share of U.S. applications
0.06%
Applications on record
6,873
FY2025
969
Certified (last three years)
90.4%
Main route
PERM labour certification
Year by year
Data as at 30 Jun 2026
OC<USAFOOD<PREPARATION<WORKERS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
3520215<N68735<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<2

Applications year by year

Labor condition, PERM and H-2 applications classified as Food Preparation Workers (SOC 35-2021). Older SOC codes are mapped to SOC 2018.

Applications by fiscal year — Food Preparation Workers

485969FY2008FY2010FY2012FY2014FY2016FY2018FY2020FY2022FY2024FY2026*
485969FY2008FY2012FY2016FY2020FY2024FY2026*
Data table
FY200871
FY200938
FY201056
FY201195
FY201254
FY2013100
FY2014125
FY2015152
FY2016269
FY2017296
FY2018338
FY2019384
FY2020299
FY2021407
FY2022657
FY2023835
FY2024878
FY2025969
FY2026*850
Fiscal yearCW-1H-2AH-2BLCAPERM
FY2026*2282640556
FY202555122790623
FY20246892900511
FY20237322340526
FY20223411830439
FY2021341980274
FY20204111000157
FY20192701050252
FY2018021002234
FY2017021261167
FY201601930175
FY201502100149
FY201400112013
FY20130082216
FY20120044010
FY20110064031
FY2010000056
FY2009000038
FY2008000071
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — disclosure data FY2008–FY2026 Q3Data as at 30 Jun 2026

Largest sponsoring employers

Employers with the most applications in this occupation, all years.

Applications by employer
  1. FH Miami Operations LLC190
  2. Harrys of America138
  3. MAC Pizza Management, Inc.128
  4. Big Splash Restaurant Group, LLC93
  5. Shrimp Basket Restaurants, LLC90
  6. Integrated Support Solutions, Inc.81
  7. Lizards Thicket, Inc71
  8. Sobys LLC57
  9. Bull Island Company, LLC54
  10. Big Splash Fernandina Beach LLC51
  11. B and R Food Service, Inc49
  12. BH Acquisition Company, LLC47
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — disclosure data FY2008–FY2026 Q3Data as at 30 Jun 2026

Where the jobs are

Worksite state and metropolitan area (Census CBSA).

Food Preparation Workers: applications by worksite state

1+23+35+68+156+
1+23+35+68+156+
Data table
StateApplications
FL1,013
MA626
CA548
TX509
VA387
NY344
MP331
SC288
GA238
MD207
NJ189
SD156
MI148
ME145
CO136
NC117
IL110
UT91
MO90
LA88
WA68
IN68
VT63
AZ61
TN57
AL57
DC55
PA54
WI45
MS43
NH37
MN36
OK35
MT34
OR33
AK28
KS28
ND28
HI27
CT26
AR25
RI23
OH23
KY22
NE19
ID18
IA16
DE14
NV12
NM10
WV9
WY7
GU1
Metropolitan areas
  1. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV460
  2. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ402
  3. Barnstable Town, MA327
  4. Jacksonville, FL273
  5. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA231
  6. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL231
  7. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX219
  8. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA200
  9. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX156
  10. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL146
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — disclosure data FY2008–FY2026 Q3Data as at 30 Jun 2026

Pay

Offered annual wages on certified labor condition applications, FY2024–FY2026.

Job titles on labor condition applications
  1. Tea Specialist / Shift Leader2
  2. Food Preparation Workers1
  3. Kitchen Cook1
  4. Chef1
  5. Restaurant Cook1
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, OFLC — Labor Condition Application disclosure dataData as at 30 Jun 2026

Pages for this occupation by metropolitan area

Areas with at least 50 LCA and PERM applications since FY2020.

  • Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
  • Barnstable Town, MA
  • Charleston-North Charleston, SC
  • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
  • Columbia, SC
  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
  • Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
  • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
  • Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
  • Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
  • Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
  • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — disclosure data FY2008–FY2026 Q3Data as at 30 Jun 2026

Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more