During 2024, employers within the LI Business Daily coverage area submitted a total of 188 H-2A petitions, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-2A Employer Data Hub.
Every petition filed in this area was approved.
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.
Nationally, the average approval rate for H-2A petitions in 2024 was 98.8%, a slight increase from 98.4% in 2023.
The local employers with the most temporary agricultural visa requests during 2024 included Norman Keil Nurseries, Inc., which filed 76 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, and Maple Leaf Farms, Inc. with 22 petitions and an approval rate of 100%.
Among local employers, Norman Keil Nurseries, Inc. led with 76 petitions, all approved, followed by Maple Leaf Farms, Inc., which submitted 22 petitions, also with a 100% approval rate.
The number of H-2A petitions in the LI Business Daily publication area grew by 11.2% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
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 | 188 | 100% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norman Keil Nurseries, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 76 | 100% | 0% |
| Maple Leaf Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 22 | 100% | 0% |
| Vidosh North, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| SHL Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Balsam Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Pantaleons Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Gabrielson Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Harbes Agricultural Enterprises | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Stoney Brook Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Bradford Reeve SR and Paul Reeve, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mike Walsh and Sons Greenhouse, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Twin Forks Nursery | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Jim Stakey Greenhouse, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Rogers Farm Nursery | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The source data can be found here.
