During 2024, employers located within the Southland Business Daily coverage area submitted a total of 48 H-2A visa 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 the region during this period received approval.
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 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 Ramiro Guzman Landscaping, Inc., which filed 12 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, and The Fields on Caton Farm, Inc. with 10 petitions and an approval rate of 100%.
Among local employers, Ramiro Guzman Landscaping, Inc. led with 12 petitions, all approved, followed by The Fields on Caton Farm, Inc., which filed 10 petitions, also with a 100% approval rate.
The number of H-2A petitions filed in the publication area rose by 20% 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 | 48 | 100% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramiro Guzman Landscaping, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| The Fields on Caton Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| R Smits and Sons the Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Glen Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| O Donovan S and Son, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Van Kalker Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Peter Bultema and Sons, LLC | 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.
