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November 3, 2008    DOL Home > ESA > WHD   

Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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ESA OFCCP OLMS OWCP WHD
Wage and Hour Division - To promote and achieve compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of the nation's workforce.

H-2A: Temporary Agricultural Employment of Foreign Workers

Overview

Section 218 of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the lawful admission into the United States of temporary, nonimmigrant workers (H-2A workers) to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. Before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can approve an employer's petition for such workers, the employer must file an application with the Department’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) stating, among other things, that there are not sufficient workers who are able, willing, qualified, and available, and that the employment of aliens will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. Any employer using H-2A workers must have initially attempted to find U.S. workers to fill these jobs. H-2A workers and U.S. workers in corresponding employment must be paid special rates of pay that vary by locality, provided housing and transportation from that housing to the job site if their employment requires them to be away from their residence overnight, and guaranteed employment for at least ¾ of the work period specified in the contract. For more general information on the H-2A program please see Fact Sheet 26.

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