Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
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 Central ND News publication area during 2024, filing a total of 601 petitions (97.1% of all submissions) and receiving 601 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 100%. The Other Services (except Public Administration) industry followed, with 12 petitions (1.9% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, Central ND News publication area saw a 14.6% 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 | 601 | 97.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 12 | 1.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Wholesale Trade | 6 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noyes Apiaries, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 32 | 100% | 0% |
| Sea View Farm, LLP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 32 | 100% | 0% |
| Four Star Agent | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 31 | 100% | 0% |
| Galen Scheresky Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| Glenn Gerving | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| GPH Enterprises, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Dawson Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Weckerly Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Lagodinski Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Price Cattle Ranch, LLP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Randy S Barnyard Service | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Peter Shockman | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Missouri River Feeders, LLP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Danzig Honey Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Trigen Agent Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Chad and Jennifer Olson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Celley Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Allied Energy, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Square Butte Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| WHO S Your Honey | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Jeff Mertz Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| R Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| James Bodvig | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Hoffman Farms, LLP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Next2nature Landscape Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Kinzler Rocking K Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Farmers Union Oil Company Beulah | Wholesale Trade | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| John Weinand Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Alliance Farms General Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Sandland Ranch | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Andrew Schott | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Mccrory Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| MW Maxwell Honey, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| William Ongstad | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Samuel Ongstad | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ryan Carr Trucking, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Robson Honey Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Wagner Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Quandt Brothers, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Thomas Vetter | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Barton Schott | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Leslie Doll Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mock Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Frueh Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Peerboom Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Llerenas Apiaries, LLP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Joe Bear | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Lance Doll Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Harlan Klein | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Steckler Ranch, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| John J Hatzenbuhler | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Wayne Hepper | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Richard Gramlow | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Patrick and Sandra Rivinius | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Raille Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Henke Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Mark Vander Vorste | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| William T Klett | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Dalton Polries | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Justin Engelhart Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Christopher M Palmer | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Jeremy Nitschke Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Steven G Bauer | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Jeffrey Hochhalter | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Ricky D Tweeten | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| James Mertz | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Agronomy Solutions, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Le Roy Circle W, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Andersen Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Erlandson Farms Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Neu Way Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Zenker Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Paul Q Anderson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 2 Bitz Cattle Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Tyler Jones | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Lura Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Gerald S Meuchel | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ben Scheresky Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Gerald Rattei | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Napoleon Livestock Auction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Rusch Dairy and Grain | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Lewis and Clark Feeders, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Prairie Rose Farms and Lies Brothers GP, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Jeffrey Kulzer | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| WH Cattle Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Chad Vander Vorst | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Joshua Volk | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Schaefer Farms, GP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Joshua Land | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Matthew Cuypers | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Joshua Shockman | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Adam Wieland Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Cameron Wagner | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Triple R Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ryan Spitzer Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Troy Nelson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Josef Richter | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| B and B Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Flick Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Brynjulson Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Victor Lagodinski | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mike Brandenburg | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Skeye Honeybees | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Roth Honey, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Michael Richter | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mitzel Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Schweigert Agribusiness, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Steichen Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Blue Hill Ranch, GP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Blue Hill Ranch Feedlot, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Nathan Nitschuke | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Feickert Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Casey Krush | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Dobowey Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Meidinger Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Topp Herefords | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Heitmann Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Mike W Gerving | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tanner Lura Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lake Potatoes, LLP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Whitman Ranch | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Michael Lipetzky | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Aaron Celley | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lloyd Crop Management, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| D/B/A Erickson Rental | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Larry Doll Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Jason L Doll | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lance a Wiegel | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| J and P Livestock | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Paul Anderson | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Troy Jangula | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| John Weinand | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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