Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/meet-the-dhs-digital-service-champions-may-2018-caee7dade2b
Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/meet-the-dhs-digital-service-champions-may-2018-caee7dade2b
All of these petitions submitted were approved.
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 average approval rate for H-2A petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98.8%, slightly higher than the 98.4% recorded in 2023. Statewide, employers across all industries filed 1,766 job orders during the same period, with an approval rate of 98.4%.
The Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A filings in Nebraska during 2024, with 1,662 petitions (94.1% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 98.3%. Meanwhile, the Construction industry was the second largest contributor, filing 84 petitions (4.8% of the total), with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Other Services (except Public Administration) sector in the state saw a 100% increase in the number of H-2A petitions filed 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 | 1,662 | 94.1% | 98.3% | 1.7% |
| 2 | Construction | 84 | 4.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 12 | 0.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 4 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R and R Christo Construction, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, Construction | 425 | 100% | 0% |
| Daniels Produce, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 155 | 100% | 0% |
| Thompson Seed Potato, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 121 | 100% | 0% |
| Lincoln County Feedyard, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 72 | 70.8% | 29.2% |
| T and S Cattle Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 58 | 98.3% | 1.7% |
| Briggs Harvesting, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 49 | 100% | 0% |
| Roeder Land and Cattle Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 37 | 100% | 0% |
| Civil Services Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 34 | 100% | 0% |
| Venture Agent Services, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 34 | 100% | 0% |
| Briggs Brothers Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 27 | 100% | 0% |
| Rolling Stone Feedyard, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| Anderson Trucking, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 22 | 100% | 0% |
| Gary Robison | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Troy Kuck Silage Harvesting, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| MSJM Properties Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Jessen Unlimited | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 18 | 88.9% | 11.1% |
| Olson Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| KTO, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| TB Feeders, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| M and L Land and Cattle, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 16 | 81.3% | 18.8% |
| Imperial Beef, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Heldt Produce, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Aec and Sons Trucking, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Whole Seed Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Horst Harvesting, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Terrell, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 84.6% | 15.4% |
| Sastsc Agent, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 2XZ Ranch, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Education Mcdonald | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Lucas M Winkelbauer | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Nebraska Sod Company, Inc. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| NBA Harvesting, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Oshkosh Heifer Development, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| BLITS | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Triple T Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| DCN Farms JV | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Roeder Honey Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Bi State Feeders | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Tanner Lemon | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| J E M Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Downey Irrigation, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Sorensen Sod, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Rocking T - J Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| JKA Cattle, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Amazing Grains Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Snodgrass Trucking, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| South Winds, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Danielski Harvesting and Farming Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Maaske, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Pierce County Feeders, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Pender Grain, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Jackson Concrete, L L C | Construction | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| James Aschoff Livestock | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Highland Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Bonanza Cattle Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Nick Snodgrass Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Lauer Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Fore Quarters Feedlot, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Blase Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Wills Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| A Glenn Kluck Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Nathan a Mueller | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Messersmith Trucking, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Pekareks Produce | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Action Pig Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcvicker Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| JZ BZZZ, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Morfeld Research and Conservation, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Q and H Honey Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Cole Robert Aschoff | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| County Line Feeders | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| CHS, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Darnall Ranch | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Brian Jelinek Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Eco Angus, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Elkhorn Valley Equipment, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Shepperd Feeding Company, Inc. | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Hoofin It Trucking, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Blase Company, L L C | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| West Blue Pork, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| J D Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| WFO Express, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Bancroft Custom Feeders, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Rosberg Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Sebade Holdings I, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Westerlin Harrington Flying Service | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Tom Foster Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Terrell Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Todd Garrelts | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Richardson Manure Hauling | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Timmerman Land and Cattle | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Bancroft Grain, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Grant Schutz, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Bee Biz, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Kuenning Family Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| J Kristin, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| G Johnson Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| DMB Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| K Cattle, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| D31, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
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