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/
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 1,155 job orders during the same period, with an approval rate of 100%.
While the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A filings with 1,070, representing 92.6% of all submissions in Alabama during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Wholesale Trade industry, which accounted for 85 petitions and represented 7.4% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Wholesale Trade industry, all of them were approved.
The Alabama employers with the most petitions categorized under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector during 2024 included Evelin Lopez, which filed 149 petitions, Alex Kontos Fruit Company with 147 petitions, and Young S Plant Farm, Inc., which filed 130 petitions.
Compared to 2023, the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector in the state saw an 18.1% 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 | 1,070 | 92.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Wholesale Trade | 85 | 7.4% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evelin Lopez | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 149 | 100% | 0% |
| Alex Kontos Fruit Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 147 | 100% | 0% |
| Young S Plant Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 130 | 100% | 0% |
| Tom Dodd Nurseries, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 90 | 100% | 0% |
| Stokley Nursery, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 70 | 100% | 0% |
| Flowerwood Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 66 | 100% | 0% |
| Bonnie Plants, LLC | Wholesale Trade | 64 | 100% | 0% |
| Jimmy W Durbin Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 50 | 100% | 0% |
| Alabama Catfish, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 49 | 100% | 0% |
| Willoughby Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 30 | 100% | 0% |
| Sandy Bay Oyster Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| CCC Associates Company, Inc. | Wholesale Trade | 21 | 100% | 0% |
| Milstead Farm Group, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Martin S Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| Woerner Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 17 | 100% | 0% |
| Autauga Farming Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Servico, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Alta Turf, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Colby Willoughby Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Scotts Orchard | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Circle C Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Turner Farms Nursery | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Oakland Gin Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Shelby Sod Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Wootten Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Albemarle, Corp. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Higher Wire Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Haynes Farming Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Turner Brothers Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ireland Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Clark Farms Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Newby Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Morris and Morris Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| American Sport Fish | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Cassebaum Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Catfish Wireless, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Cleverdon Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Sandollar Cattle Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Dadeo, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Murphree Seed Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mountain View Orchards, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Frank Turner Construction Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| James Martin Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Dombhart Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Louallen Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Boozer Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| French Construction, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Blaxton, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ivy Creek Poultry Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Sunset Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Clark Dairy, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Snow S Bend Farm, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Ellis Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Jhonston Cattle Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| D Bar Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Enviroment, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Rose Hill Farming Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Old Stage Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Le Properties, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Lee Farms Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mullek Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Cogle Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Grant Brothers | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Weston Farms Mater Shack | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Blaxton Comodities Services Integrated, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Bell Place Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
!RECEIVE ALERTS
DONATE
Alerts Sign-up