What is an H-2A employer?
The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.
Do H-2A workers pay taxes?
Yes. Wages you earn as an H-2A worker are subject to U.S. federal income tax. TIP: You should receive a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, from your employer for each year you work. Wages you earn as an H-2A worker are not subject to U.S. social secu- rity and Medicare taxes.
Is the H-2A program good?
The H-2A program has grown fastest in two states. In California, the number of jobs certified rose from 2,600 in 2006 to over 11,000 in 2016, and in Washington from 3,000 to almost 14,000 over the same period….H-2A jobs certified and visas issued, 2005—2016.
| Year | Jobs Certified | Visas Issued |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 165,741 | 134,368 |
What does H-2A stand for?
Temporary Agricultural Employment of Foreign Workers
H-2A: Temporary Agricultural Employment of Foreign Workers.
How does the H-2A program work?
The H-2A guestworker program allows agricultural employers to hire workers from other countries on temporary work permits for agricultural jobs that last ten months or less. To bring in H-2A guestworkers, employers must first show that they have tried and are unable to find U.S. workers to meet their labor needs.
Is there a shortage of farm workers?
There are fewer people in rural America. — Rural America lost more population in the latest census, highlighting an already severe worker shortage in the nation’s farming and ranching regions and drawing calls from those industries for immigration reform to help ease the problem.
Are H-2A workers considered residents?
If an H-2A agricultural worker spends sufficient time in the United States, he or she may become a U.S. resident under the substantial presence test, but may also be a resident of his or her home country under that country’s tax laws.
How long can H-2A workers stay?
3 years
The maximum period of stay in H-2A classification is 3 years. A person who has held H-2A nonimmigrant status for a total of 3 years must depart and remain outside the United States for an uninterrupted period of 3 months before seeking readmission as an H-2A nonimmigrant.
