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 Western South Dakota News publication area during 2024, filing a total of 151 petitions (95.6% of all submissions) and receiving 151 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 100%. The Construction industry followed, with seven petitions (4.4% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 100%.
The local employers with most temporary visa requests during 2024 included Lindskov Ranch, which filed 20 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, Maher Cattle, LLC with 16 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Timber Lake ELK Ranch, LLC, which filed 14 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, Western South Dakota News publication area saw a 29.5% 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 | 151 | 95.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Construction | 7 | 4.4% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindskov Ranch | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Maher Cattle, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Timber Lake ELK Ranch, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| J and L Maher, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Lazy VC Kelly Ranch, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Scot Eisenbraun | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Cornerstone Industries and Construction Services, LLC | Construction | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Jason Fees | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Broken Anvil, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Corson County Feeders | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Paul Taylor | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Tolton Land and Cattle, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Fall River Feedyard, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 5C Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Kent Schneider | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Jade Lyon | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Bryant Schauer | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Reece Leonard | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Strangle Leaf Agent | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Air Kraft Spraying, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Morrison Family Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ryan Kruse | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Howe Seeds, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tate Eisenbraun | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sunrise Ranch, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
!RECEIVE ALERTS
DONATE
Alerts Sign-up