The territory of NIW candidacy.
Every profile fails and succeeds differently. Walk the map.
The filing-stage reality · USCIS official data · FY2026 Q3
Across all I-140 NIW petitions, the approval rate moved from 85% (FY2023 Q1) to 55.3% (FY2026 Q3), against 96,297 pending. The coded record below is the appeal population — the cases that were denied and contested, an exception to the figures above.
5,128coded 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 · 5,128 coded decisions
Founders & Entrepreneurs
1,556Named most often here: Economic claims unsupported.
Business, Finance & Management638
Economic claims unsupported
Computer Science & IT181
Economic claims unsupported
Healthcare & Clinical Practice170
Economic claims unsupported
Engineering164
Economic claims unsupported
Other141
Economic claims unsupported
Aviation & Transportation100
Economic claims unsupported
Creative Fields, Architecture & Design53
Economic claims unsupported
Education44
Economic claims unsupported
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment28
Economic claims unsupported
Social Sciences, Policy & Law16
Economic claims unsupported
Life Sciences & Biomedical13
Economic claims unsupported
Agriculture & Food Science8
Economic claims unsupported
Industry Employees
1,398Named most often here: Economic claims unsupported.
Computer Science & IT465
Field importance conflated with endeavor
Business, Finance & Management344
Economic claims unsupported
Engineering313
Field importance conflated with endeavor
Aviation & Transportation127
Economic claims unsupported
Other48
Economic claims unsupported
Healthcare & Clinical Practice41
Field importance conflated with endeavor
Creative Fields, Architecture & Design20
Economic claims unsupported
Life Sciences & Biomedical15
Economic claims unsupported
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment13
Economic claims unsupported
Social Sciences, Policy & Law7
Economic claims unsupported
Agriculture & Food Science5
Economic claims unsupported
Consultants
582Named most often here: Economic claims unsupported.
Business, Finance & Management365
Economic claims unsupported
Computer Science & IT62
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
Other11
Economic claims unsupported
Aviation & Transportation9
Economic claims unsupported
Education5
Economic claims unsupported
Researchers & Academics
479Named most often here: Citations insufficient.
Computer Science & IT111
Citations insufficient
Life Sciences & Biomedical107
Record of success insufficient
Engineering91
Citations insufficient
Healthcare & Clinical Practice47
Record of success insufficient
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment41
Record of success insufficient
Other22
Letters conclusory
Social Sciences, Policy & Law16
Citations insufficient
Aviation & Transportation13
Citations insufficient
Education12
Citations insufficient
Business, Finance & Management10
Citations insufficient
Agriculture & Food Science7
Citations insufficient
Other
463Named most often here: Endeavor too vague.
Other164
Endeavor too vague
Business, Finance & Management78
Endeavor too vague
Aviation & Transportation48
Field importance conflated with endeavor
Social Sciences, Policy & Law40
Endeavor too vague
Healthcare & Clinical Practice34
Endeavor too vague
Creative Fields, Architecture & Design34
Endeavor too vague
Education22
Economic claims unsupported
Physical Sciences, Math & Environment18
Endeavor too vague
Engineering13
Endeavor too vague
Computer Science & IT11
Endeavor too vague
Statistics from the coded record (2016–2026) (5,128 decisions). Methodology
AAO appeal decisions through 3 September 2026.