Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
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 was the only industry in the Southeast South Dakota News publication area during 2024.
The local employers with most temporary visa requests during 2024 included SBH Agent Services, Inc., which filed 76 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, Marion Ymker with 14 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and John Wieczorek Harvesting, which filed 11 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, Southeast South Dakota News publication area saw a 20.3% 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 | 160 | 100% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBH Agent Services, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 76 | 100% | 0% |
| Marion Ymker | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| John Wieczorek Harvesting | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Erickson Grain | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Edinger Brothers Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| The Claussen Group, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Helena Agri Enterprises, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Brandt Honey Producers, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Tabor Lumber Cooperation | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Cloverleaf Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Valley Agent Supply, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| DJ Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| D/B/A Pravecek Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mitchell Livestock Marketing | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Robert Bannwarth | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Charles Greeneway | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Robert Vanderpol Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Bill Hoffman | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Olson Sod Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Missouri River Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Missouri River Lodge, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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