The H-2A program, designed to facilitate the employment of seasonal and temporary agricultural workers, has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, and that growth has only accelerated over the past and current fiscal year.

In Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), the Department of Labor (DOL) certified a remarkable 13,500 applications to fill 212,000 jobs with H-2A workers in just the first two quarters. This represents a significant increase from the previous year, where 12,000 applications were certified to fill 193,000 jobs. These numbers indicate a substantial growth rate of 10 percent, underscoring the program’s expanding opportunities for both employers and workers. When it comes to the distribution of H-2A certifications, Florida and California lead the way, with 14 percent and 12 percent of certifications, respectively, in the first half of FY23.

The growth of the H-2A program at large underscores the growth of Western Growers H-2A Services and its significance in helping Western Growers’ members to meet their labor demands. For more information about how Western Growers H-2A Services can help your organization leverage the H-2A program to mitigate labor shortages, contact Jason Resnick ([email protected])