Peach Tree Times

Sunbelt Greenhouses, Inc., an employer classified under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry based in Georgia submitted one H-1B petition during 2024, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-1B Employer Data Hub.

The only petition submitted in the period was approved.

Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. It is designed to address skill gaps in the U.S. workforce while ensuring wage standards to protect both U.S. and H-1B workers. Employers must certify that they will pay H-1B workers wages equal to or greater than those of similarly qualified U.S. employees or the prevailing local wage.

The average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98%, higher than 2023's 97.3%. Statewide, Georgia employers across all industries submitted 11,933 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 96.3%.

While the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings with 6,763 petitions, representing 56.7% of all submissions in Georgia during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Educational Services industry, which accounted for 1,114 petitions and represented 9.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Educational Services industry, 6,512 were approved and 251 were denied.

Compared to 2023, the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector in Georgia saw an increase in the number of H-1B petitions 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.

The data in this article comes from the H-1B Employer Data Hub provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). While USCIS strives for accuracy, manual data entry and errors on paper forms submitted by applicants or petitioners may result in discrepancies in employer names, tax IDs, locations, or other details.

Rank	Industry	Total Petitions	% of All Submissions	% Approved	% Denied
1	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	6,763	56.7%	96.3%	3.7%
2	Educational Services	1,114	9.3%	98.6%	1.4%
3	Information	599	5%	98.5%	1.5%
4	Manufacturing	594	5%	97.8%	2.2%
5	Retail Trade	574	4.8%	97.7%	2.3%
6	Finance and Insurance	562	4.7%	98.9%	1.1%
7	Health Care and Social Assistance	451	3.8%	74.7%	25.3%
8	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	371	3.1%	96.2%	3.8%
8	Wholesale Trade	371	3.1%	98.4%	1.6%
10	Transportation and Warehousing	263	2.2%	100%	0%
11	Construction	93	0.8%	98.9%	1.1%
12	Accommodation and Food Services	56	0.5%	96.4%	3.6%
13	Utilities	31	0.3%	100%	0%
14	Other Services (except Public Administration)	30	0.3%	96.7%	3.3%
15	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	27	0.2%	100%	0%
16	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	13	0.1%	92.3%	7.7%
17	Public Administration	9	0.1%	100%	0%
17	Management of Companies and Enterprises	9	0.1%	100%	0%
19	Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	2	0%	100%	0%
20	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	1	0%	100%	0%

Rank	Company Name	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
1	Sunbelt Greenhouses, Inc.	1	100%	0%