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
Of these, 2,466 were approved (94.2%), while 151 were denied (5.8%).
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 2,640 job orders during the same period, with an approval rate of 94.3%.
While the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A filings with 2,617, representing 99.1% of all submissions in Iowa during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services industry, which accounted for 13 petitions and represented 0.5% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services industry, all of them were approved.
The Iowa employers with the most petitions categorized under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector during 2024 included Alewelt Concrete, Inc., which filed 639 petitions with an approval rate of 79.5%, Farm Labor Services of Iowa, Inc. with 363 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Northeast Iowa Artificial Insemination, Inc., which filed 256 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector in the state saw a 19.9% 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 | 2,617 | 99.1% | 94.2% | 5.8% |
| 2 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 13 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 8 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alewelt Concrete, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 639 | 79.5% | 20.5% |
| Farm Labor Services of Iowa, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 363 | 100% | 0% |
| Northeast Iowa Artificial Insemination, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 256 | 100% | 0% |
| Rodriguez Labor, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 100 | 100% | 0% |
| Southern Builders, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 76 | 78.9% | 21.1% |
| Flores Construction, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 64 | 100% | 0% |
| Country Nest, Corp. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 60 | 100% | 0% |
| Paragon Construction Solutions, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 50 | 100% | 0% |
| Iowa Select Farms, LLLP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 43 | 100% | 0% |
| Integrity Builders and Supply, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 41 | 100% | 0% |
| A R O Construction, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 39 | 100% | 0% |
| Drew Brandt Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 38 | 100% | 0% |
| Midwest Grain Bins, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 30 | 100% | 0% |
| Summit Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 30 | 100% | 0% |
| North Star Agent Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| Brenneman Pork, LLLP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| Santi Construction, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| KR Farm Labor Services, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 26 | 96.2% | 3.8% |
| Growmark, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 23 | 100% | 0% |
| Landus Cooperative | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 21 | 100% | 0% |
| Falcon Contracted Services, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Innovative Agent Services Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| 4L Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 20 | 100% | 0% |
| Century Farms Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| The Spud Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| Agland Custom Harvesting | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Whiskey Creek Arkansas | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| K and T Olson Cattle | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Matthew J Mohrfeld | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Eichelberger Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 91.7% | 8.3% |
| Cy Ment Construction, Corp. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Hand Nutrients Management, L L C | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| ESW Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Vermeer and Sons Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 90.9% | 9.1% |
| JCS Family Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Ram Nutrient Applications, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Viking Agent Equipment, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| CLA Don Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| MBM Construction, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Agent Advantage Systems, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Orchard Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Vosco Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| Siouxland Sod, LLC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Buch Agent Pumping, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Dennis Michael Bergan | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Bradley and Connie Feckers | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Injectsom, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Precision Pumping, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| TJ Thomas Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Premier Pumping, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| I M Possible Productions, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Fehr Custom Enterprises | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Lanus Enterprises, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| JW Ready Mix and Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Quirk Concrete, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Rock River Agent Transport, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Struecker, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Cedar Oak Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Josh Berte Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| HT Hunter, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| J a Buseman Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Iowa River Agent, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Hillcreek Livestock Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Provision Cattle Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| T and J Grout, LLC | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| CD Custom Agent, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Buline Family Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Buch Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Black Dirt Drainage, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Aspinwall Cooperative Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Meadowvale Dairy, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Midwest Custom Agent Aviation, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Murray Mcmurray Hatchery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| RJGP, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Scott Niess | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Weiland Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Youngblood Land and Livestock | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Jordahl Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Fox Ridge Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Calumet Manure Management, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| HF Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Eichelberger Transportation, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| I 35 Farms, GP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Center Grove Orchard, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Alex Butikofer Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| SFI, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| CD Custom Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Nels, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Gemberling Excavating, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| WRF Agent Services, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Greenfield Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Harold a Trask | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Todd Schaben | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Matthew Mccarthy | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Pecc, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Martin Family Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Pork and Beans, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Janes Farmland, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Flores Construction | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| City View Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
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