From the U.S. Government Accountability Office, www.gao.gov

Transcript for: GAO: H-2A Visa Program – Improvements to Oversight and Enforcement Needed

Description: The H-2A visa program was created to allow U.S.
agricultural employers to fill jobs on a temporary basis if workers in
the U.S. are not available for those jobs. From fiscal year (FY) 2018
through FY 2023, the number of approved H-2A jobs and visas increased by
over 50 percent, with the Department of State issuing almost 310,000
H-2A visas in FY 2023. The Department of Homeland Security lacks full
electronic processing of H-2A petitions, which adds time to the process.
As part of its job, The Department of Labor investigates when employers
don't pay their H-2A workers. But it has trouble getting workers the
wages the're owed in a timely manner.

Related GAO Work: GAO-25-106389. H-2A Visa Program: Agencies Should Take
Additional Steps to Improve Oversight and Enforcement

Released: November 2024

[ GAO's Thomas Costa, Director - Education, Workforce, and Income
Security, speaking ]

[ Thomas Costa: ] 

  U.S. farmers continue to face a shortage of workers. The H-2A visa
program allows these employers to temporarily fill jobs with foreign
workers when U.S. workers aren't available. 

  The Departments of Labor, Homeland Security, and State have faced a
large influx of applications as interest in this program has grown. For
instance, from fiscal years 2018 through 2023, the number of
applications or petitions submitted to Homeland Security almost doubled.

  The agencies are trying to keep up. However, the Department of
Homeland Security lacks full electronic processing for its H-2A
petitions. Instead, employers must mail documents rather than submitting
them online, which adds time. 

  As part of its job, The Department of Labor investigates employer
violations, including when employers don't pay H-2A workers. When
employers commit pay violations, they're often required to pay back
wages to their workers. H-2A violations accounted for over 50% of back
wages assessed to all agricultural employers during the six year period
we reviewed. But Labor has trouble getting workers the wages they're
owed, especially when they return to their home countries. 

  Our recommendations are to improve application processing and assess
options to locate workers to return the wages they're due. 

  For more information, check out our report at GAO.gov.
  
 [ End ]
 
For more info, check out our report GAO-25-106389 at: GAO.gov