In 2024, employers located in the Jacksonville Business Daily coverage area submitted a total of 2,632 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.
Out of these submissions, 2,384 petitions were approved, representing a 90.6% approval rate, while 248 petitions were denied, accounting for 9.4%.
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 average 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 Paloma Harvesting, which filed 1,211 petitions with an approval rate of 91.2%, and Red Diamond Enterprises, Inc. with 482 petitions and an approval rate of 100%.
Among local employers, Paloma Harvesting submitted the highest number of temporary agricultural visa petitions with 1,211 filings and a 91.2% approval rate. Red Diamond Enterprises, Inc. followed with 482 petitions, all of which were approved.
The Jacksonville Business Daily coverage area experienced a 7.2% rise in H-2A petition filings 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 | 2,632 | 100% | 90.6% | 9.4% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paloma Harvesting | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1,211 | 91.2% | 8.8% |
| Red Diamond Enterprises, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 482 | 100% | 0% |
| Sebastian J Garcia | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 227 | 100% | 0% |
| L and M Farms of North Florida, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 160 | 81.3% | 18.8% |
| Arlene Resource Management, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 142 | 100% | 0% |
| Haraseth Brothers | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 125 | 11.2% | 88.8% |
| Yu an Farms Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 78 | 100% | 0% |
| Sauceda Contractors, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 70 | 100% | 0% |
| Dimare Ruskin TRN47, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 47 | 100% | 0% |
| Pascual Francisco | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 33 | 100% | 0% |
| D and a Grower | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 32 | 100% | 0% |
| Cypress Creek Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| Gateway Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Townsend Honey Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The source data can be found here.
