Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
This represents an approval rate of 100%, which is higher than the nationwide average.
That year, the average approval rate for H-2A petitions across the U.S. stood at 98.8%, slightly higher than 2023's 98.4%.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The H-2A visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs when enough domestic workers are unavailable. Employers must demonstrate a short-term need and that hiring foreign workers will not negatively affect U.S. workers' wages or working conditions. These jobs must first be offered to U.S. workers, and both domestic and H-2A workers must receive at least the highest of the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) or other wage benchmarks.
The Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A petition approvals in the NW Kansas News publication area during 2024, filing a total of 480 petitions (82.5% of all submissions) and receiving 480 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 100%. The Manufacturing industry followed, with 101 petitions (17.4% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 100%.
The local employers with most temporary visa requests during 2024 included Befort Harvesting, LLC, which filed 92 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, and Schippers Harvesting, LLC with 26 petitions and an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, NW Kansas News publication area saw a 28.5% increase in the number of seasonal agricultural visas during 2024.
The United States admits around 1 million legal immigrants annually, most of whom receive permanent residence (green cards) through family sponsorship or employment-based visas. In 2023, about 1.2 million immigrants were granted green cards, a return to pre-pandemic levels. Temporary visa programs, such as the H-1B for highly skilled workers and H-2A for seasonal agricultural workers, also play a critical role in filling workforce needs.
Public opinion on immigration varies, with 46% of Americans favoring maintaining current legal immigration levels, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey. Additionally, 42% believe that highly skilled workers, such as scientists, doctors, and programmers, should be prioritized for legal immigration, compared to 25% who prioritize workers filling labor shortages and 19% who emphasize family sponsorship. Despite this, family sponsorship remains the most common path to permanent residency, accounting for 63% of green cards issued in 2023.
Due to manual data entry and the use of paper forms by applicants or petitioners, occasional discrepancies in employer names, tax IDs, locations, or other details may be found in the H-2A Employer Data Hub provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is the data used in this article. Despite these potential issues, USCIS works to ensure accuracy.
| Rank | Industry | Total Petitions | % of All Submissions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 480 | 82.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 101 | 17.4% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Befort Harvesting, LLC | Manufacturing | 92 | 100% | 0% |
| Schippers Harvesting, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 26 | 100% | 0% |
| Wentz Enterprises, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| High Plains Agriculture and Transp | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| Vulgamore Land and Cattle Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Mosbarger Trucking, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Kuntz Manure Spreading | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Cartillar Enterprises, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Sos Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Befort Trucking LC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| P and D Cattle | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcclain Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Sealock, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Befort Farms | Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Long Branch Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| E and H Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| FDK Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Juenemann Harvesting, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Bodock Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Turner Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Leiker Spreading, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Randall Schwanke Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Stevenson Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Tim Doll Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Leo Stephens, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| SPH Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| B Chastain Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Campbell Concrete Const | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Sterrett Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Brian Ottley | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Kuntz Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Twin Agent Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| C and T Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Austin Nokes | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Longshot Farms of Brinkley | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| E and E Harvesting | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| D and M Cattle, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| D and M Harvesting, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 2T Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Phos Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Nondorf Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Crossruff Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Fisher and Son Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Brush Creek Harvesting, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Mauck and Mauck, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Samuel Schippers | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Michael Doll | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| English Family Farms Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Beckman Transport | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Purvis Cattle Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| L and E Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Tokoi Agent Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| B Bar J, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Wark Farms Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Carpenter Cattle Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Stallbaumer Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Triple TTT, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Floyd Calhoun and Son Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Donner Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| SJF, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Beckman Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Warren Davidson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Chastain Land Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Horchem and Sons, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| CHS, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| David Mellies | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Watkins Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| D and a Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Jerald a Riemann | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| R and S Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Brooks Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Bridgeman Forage Harvesting | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hineman Land and Cattle, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Tim Benoit | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Getz Land and Cattle | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Richard Ball | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| HP Rafter Lazy T Ranch, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Kevin and Sharon R Harvey | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Jason E Nelson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| B and K Cattle Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| N and a Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hendricks Bros | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Schmalzried Seed, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Big R Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| HJ Stephens and Sons, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Circle C Farms Harvesting | 1 | 100% | 0% | |
| 4B Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Darrel J Lundgren | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Brittan Ellis | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Silas Jones | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sekavec Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| S Express | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Schmalzried Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Keith J Kennedy | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| WT Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Michael Schamberger | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Solomon Creek Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rasch Ranch | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| KW Transport, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Voltaire, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| B2C | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Michael Moeder | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| C L, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Chris Lorffler | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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