H-2A Visas - Doing It The Right Way
U.S. companies wanting to bring foreign nationals into the United States to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature may do so by demonstrating that no U.S. worker is willing, able, qualified, and readily available to perform such service or labor. Under the H-2A program, a U.S. employer must conduct serious recruitment, such as placing a job opening with the State Workforce Agency, and advertising in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of employment. After the recruitment period establishes that there are no U.S. workers capable of performing such agricultural service, and that the employment of the foreign nationals will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers, the employer will file a labor certification with the Department of Labor (DOL).
Once the DOL grants the labor certification, a petition for the foreign national to perform the agricultural labor/services of a temporary or seasonal nature is filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. An approved petition is then forwarded to the U.S. Consulate where the worker applied for the visa.
An H-2A visa is granted for up to a year and may be extended once for two years, for a maximum of three years. If you need more information regarding H-2A visas, please contact us at 214-999-9999.