The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers that experience a shortage of domestic workers to bring non-immigrant foreign workers into the United States to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. In general, an H-2A need cannot last for more than 10-months out of the year, although the program may be used more complexly than that in certain instances.
Every year tens of thousands of H-2A workers arrive in the U.S. from dozens of countries to work at agricultural operations of every type and in every state. They are highly productive and highly skilled workers that are here to work and love to take on just about as many hours as you will let them.
Our greatest complaint from the thousands of H-2A workers that we place each year is that they do not get enough hours and would like to work more, which is usually quite shocking for a business using the H-2A program for the very first time to hear. H2 Visa Consultants places thousands of H-2A workers at agricultural outfits across the country. We work in every state and in every facet of every agricultural sector in the U.S. Moreover, 92% of all H-2A workers that we place return to the same employer year after year during their busy season, which is a testament to our advanced capability in assisting our clients in maneuvering this program successfully.
Although the H-2A program is notoriously complicated and time sensitive, causing many businesses to avoid it altogether, our team at H2 Visa Consultants takes most of the burden off of the employer, efficiently streamlining the entire process for your business, ensuring that you have a dependable workforce ready to work during your entire busy season. This allows you to focus on your business and is why so many of the businesses that we work with grow significantly after beginning to utilize the H-2A program for their labor needs. Contact us now for a free consultation to discuss your labor needs and how the H-2A program can revolutionize your business starting today.
H2 Visa Consultants, LLC’s model of a full-service agency that provides 365-day support has set a new standard for the industry, ensures greater representative accountability, limits complications and confusion, and increases the likelihood of user success. We believe that this is what vastly sets us apart from the majority of competing agencies in the country. Don’t trust just any agency with the future of your livelihood. Contact H2 Visa Consultants, LLC today to speak with a personal case manager, and find out why we are one of the fastest growing and most equipped H-2A and H-2B agencies in the industry today.
The H-2A program enables U.S. agricultural employers to hire temporary foreign workers for seasonal jobs when there are insufficient local workers available to meet demand.
H-2A workers are authorized to work for the duration of the employer’s temporary need, typically up to 10 months. Extensions may be granted, but the total period of stay cannot exceed three years. After three years, workers must depart the U.S. for a specified period before returning under H-2A status.
Employers must provide free housing that meets federal and state safety standards to all non-local workers. The housing must be inspected and approved by the appropriate authorities before occupancy.
The AEWR is the minimum wage that the U.S. Department of Labor determines must be offered and paid by agricultural employers to H-2A workers to ensure that the employment of foreign workers does not adversely affect the wages of U.S. workers in similar occupations.
Foreign nationals from eligible countries with a job offer from a U.S. employer for temporary or seasonal agricultural work can apply for an H-2A visa. The list of eligible countries is determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and updated annually.
Jobs include planting, cultivating, harvesting crops, operating farm machinery, and other duties related to agriculture.
H-2A workers may bring their spouse and unmarried children under 21 under H-4 nonimmigrant status. However, H-4 dependents are not authorized to work in the U.S.
Reach out to us today and let our consulting, recruitment, and placement expertise guide you towards visa success. Call now or complete our form to get started.
*H2 Visa Consultants, LLC is not a law firm and does not provide any level of legal advice of any sort. H2 Visa Consultants, LLC’s members, staff and advisors comprise of experts in the H- 2A and H-2B industry that are highly competent and highly informed. As always however, with any legal immigrant or non-immigrant program, we highly advise that our clients seek out separate legal advice from a qualified attorney representative in order to ensure that all legal obligations are met. No advice provided by H2 Visa Consultants, LLC, its staff or its members, in any way constitutes actual legal advice.
