DOL Ditches Old Rule: Easier H-2A Farm Worker Hiring Ahead
Published Date: 8/25/2025
Notice
Summary
The Department of Labor is canceling a 2011 rule that stopped employers from filing one temporary work visa for H-2A farm workers after their first needed day. This change means employers can now file more flexibly when hiring seasonal farm workers. If you’re an employer using H-2A visas, this update could save you time and make hiring easier—no new fees or deadlines, just smoother paperwork!
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
H-2A Filing Timing Flexibility Restored
If you are an employer who hires seasonal farmworkers with H-2A visas, the Department of Labor is rescinding a Frequently Asked Question issued on July 22, 2011 that prohibited filing a single temporary agricultural labor certification after the first date of need. Rescinding that FAQ means employers can now file a single H-2A certification even after the first date of need, allowing more flexible timing for hiring.
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