Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate for USCIS | https://www.dhswatchlist.com/
Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate for USCIS | https://www.dhswatchlist.com/
Of these, 618 were approved (95.2%), while 31 were denied (4.8%).
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 700 job orders during the same period, with an approval rate of 95.6%.
While the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A filings with 649, representing 92.7% of all submissions in Wisconsin during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Wholesale Trade industry, which accounted for 26 petitions and represented 3.7% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Wholesale Trade industry, all of them were approved.
The Wisconsin employers with the most petitions categorized under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector during 2024 included Fergusons Morningside Orchard, LLC, which filed 84 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, LFI, LLC with 83 petitions and an approval rate of 62.7%, and Breezy Hill Nursery, Inc., which filed 48 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector in the state saw a 9.6% decrease 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 | 649 | 92.7% | 95.2% | 4.8% |
| 2 | Wholesale Trade | 26 | 3.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 25 | 3.6% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fergusons Morningside Orchard, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 84 | 100% | 0% |
| LFI, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 83 | 62.7% | 37.3% |
| Breezy Hill Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 48 | 100% | 0% |
| Harmony Valley Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 46 | 100% | 0% |
| Huntsinger Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 45 | 100% | 0% |
| Appleland, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 44 | 100% | 0% |
| Robert H Heath Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 35 | 100% | 0% |
| Sacia Orchards | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 31 | 100% | 0% |
| Bonnie Plants, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 26 | 100% | 0% |
| Seneca Foods Corporation | Manufacturing | 25 | 100% | 0% |
| B and D Dairy Farm Operations, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Sacia Enterprises, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Kirk Laborers Association, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Oak Ridge Sod Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Evergreens Unlimited, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Evergreen Nursery Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Debroux Custom Work, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Comstock Trees and Service, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| B and B Agri Sales | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| H and M Custom Agent Services, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Olden Produce, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Johnsons Nursery, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Arthur Weiler, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Eugster S Farm Market, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Growmark, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Trembling Prairie Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Dan Hanauer S Tree Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Barn Farm Market | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Badger Evergreen Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Jacob Searls Cranberry Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| LB Werks, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Golden Sands Ranch, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Gottschalk Cranberry, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Helena Agri Enterprises, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Gwenyn Hill Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Gollon Bait and Fish Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Pleasant Valley, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Snudden Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Bushel and a Peck, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Red Cedar Honey Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mulberry Lane Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Debucks Sod Farm of Wisconsin, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Growing, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Pergande Cranberry Marsh, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Leffel Roots, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Johnson Grass Dairy | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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