Category: H2A
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The U.S. government expects to issue over 500,000 H2A (temporary unskilled agricultural) visas this year which is a 119,000 increase over the 420,000 annual average. The administration has lowered the state-specific wage rate for H2A visa-holders and has allowed growers to charge workers for housing (when in the past the government required that the grower…
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The Washington Post’s Lauren Kaori Gurley reported that “the Trump administration said that its immigration crackdown is hurting farmers and risking higher food prices for Americans by cutting off agriculture’s labor supply.” Concerns: Immigration crackdowns are creating instability in the agricultural workforce which threatens (1) the stability of domestic food production and (2) prices for US…
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USA Facts has written this article which summarizes the Temporary Work visas issued during FY2024’and explains the priorities given to green card applications. Total Temporary Work Visas issued during FY2024 were:
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25% of all agricultural workers are immigrants residents without work authorization while a higher percent of fruits and vegetable harvesting (closer to 40%) is done by unauthorized workers. The H-2A (temporary agricultural visa) is undergoing significant changes – which will simplifiy the application process (throught USCIS) and allow for lower wages (via the Department of…
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WASHINGTON— The Department of Homeland Security is announcing a final rule, effective Oct. 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions.The new rule allows U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to begin processing petitions for H-2A temporary agricultural workers while the Department of Labor reviews the requested employment to ensure it would…
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that, between March and July (2025), the agricultural workforce fell by 155,000 workers (7%). The Pew Research Center reports that, between January and July (2025), the U.S. labor force fell by 750,000 immigrant workers. Farmers, in particular, are being hit hard – not only with changes in the workforce…
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This article, USDA wants to end Farm Labor Survey, published by DTN Progressive Farmer, discusses potential changes to how wages are set for temporary, migrant labor with H2A (temporary worker) visas. And, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Labor Survey (FLS) which is critical to the determination of H2A visa holder wages may be discontinued.…
Immigration Insight 