Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (left) and Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership
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 1,517 job orders during the same period, with an approval rate of 99.9%.
The Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A filings in Illinois during 2024, with 1,450 petitions (95.6% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 99.9%. Meanwhile, the Manufacturing industry was the second largest contributor, filing 55 petitions (3.6% of the total), with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation sector in the state saw a 50% 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 | 1,450 | 95.6% | 99.9% | <0.1% |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 55 | 3.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 4 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Wholesale Trade | 4 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industries | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartans Agricultural Builders, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 357 | 99.7% | 0.3% |
| Professional Swine Employment, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 187 | 100% | 0% |
| GDM Seeds, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 145 | 100% | 0% |
| Altman Specialty Plants CA Lake Mathews, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 83 | 100% | 0% |
| N G Heimos Greenhouse, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 70 | 100% | 0% |
| Effingham Equity | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 50 | 100% | 0% |
| Walker Place | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 48 | 100% | 0% |
| South Central FS, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 41 | 100% | 0% |
| Farm Labor Management Services, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 41 | 100% | 0% |
| Goodmark Nurseries, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 32 | 100% | 0% |
| Bluff View Farm, Inc. | Manufacturing | 26 | 100% | 0% |
| Milieu Design, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| Crop Transport, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 22 | 100% | 0% |
| Wolke Nursery, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Schlicht Farms Enterprises | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Neumiller Sproule Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Prairieland FS, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Western Illinois Agri Systems, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Ramiro Guzman Landscaping, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| C and R Agent Supply, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Wheelin and Squealin, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Frontier Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| The Fields on Caton Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Kruckeberg OPS, LLC | Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Keller Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, Manufacturing | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| John Peterson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| ABK Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| R Smits and Sons the Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Bass Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Arnold Family Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Mccain Foods USA | Manufacturing | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Ryan Britton Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Glen Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Fecke Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Evergreen FS, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Cabery Fertilizer | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Piscasaw Gardens, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| PMH Farm Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Lefringhouse Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Heepke Farms | Manufacturing | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Jobs Organics | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Charles Linder | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Steer Creek Ranch, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Moragra Family Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| El Cerrito Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Van Kalker Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| O Donovan S and Son, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Precision Pumping, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Wasco Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Scott Becker | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Ryco Distributing, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Spring Grove Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| The Greenhouse of C L, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Selmis, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Abel G and Sons, Corp. | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Bolder Lawns, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Croft Fertilizer Service, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Gateway FS | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Hugenberg Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Liberty Prairie | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mccune Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Platt Hill Nursery | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Philip D Walters | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Agent View FS, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Alex Kerr Tillage, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Munie Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Glen Loepker Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| R and S Landscaping and Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| MMV Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Second Nature Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Growmark, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Schott Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Three Rivers Community Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Cowser, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mixer Grain Bin Services | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ronald John Mueller JR | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Robert Haase Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Leider Horticultural Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hiel Enterprises | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Peter Bultema and Sons, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| C R Nelson Wholesale Plant Supply | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bradshaw Grain Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Masching Agriculture | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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