Foreign Farmworker Shortage Affects the American Economy

The US needs foreign nationals to fill farmworker gaps

The US needs foreign nationals to fill farmworker gaps

With the sudden arrival of the global Coronavirus pandemic and hundreds of changes made by the Trump administration on the immigration sector, waiting times and eligibility requirements increased significantly for most existing immigration processes, including those related to employment-based immigration.

In this article we will specifically discuss the H-2A visa program for foreign farmworkers and the alarming workforce shortage in the agricultural sector, which is related to multiple influential factors, including those previously mentioned.

The H-2A visa allows local employers, usually American family farms, to legally hire foreign agricultural workers to supply local market demands, especially during harvest seasons.

However, the current backlog of immigration cases nationwide prevents the USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) from responding applications in a timely manner, and many agricultural businesses are experiencing large workforce gaps, which could ultimately affect the American population.

Do you need help with a Business Immigration Case? Our team can help you, regardless of whether you are an American employer or a foreign worker.

Farmworker shortage even before the pandemic

At this point it is important to explain that the farmworker shortage across the US is not new news, nor something that happened only because of the global health crisis, but was a factor even before the first massive outbreak of COVID-19 in the North American territory.

The workforce shortage in the agricultural sector has been present for several years, especially under the Trump administration, which hindered most immigration processes, including visa programs available to all kinds of foreign workers, and expedited deportations.

This fact is important because, in light of the hurdles and long waiting times to apply for an H-2A visa, many local employers find themselves having to hire undocumented foreign farmworkers, which undoubtedly becomes a risk for them and for foreign workers involved.

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AWC supports immigration reform to attract agricultural workers

Due to the shortage of foreign workers and the impact this is having on the agricultural sector, the AWC (Agricultural Workforce Coalition), along with approximately 300 unions, recently sent a letter to the Senate, one of the branches of Congress.

In this letter, the AWC asks the Senate to pass immigration reform in order to legalize undocumented foreign farmworkers and expand the H-2A visa program to fill labor gaps in the agricultural sector and prevent a similar situation from taking place in the future.

Feel free to contact our team for your immigration process!

It is important to follow expert advice during your immigration process in the US, especially now that the immigration sector is going through a number of changes related to the new administration.

It is no secret that starting an immigration process in the US is not always the easiest task. However, our team of experts really simplifies the process for you and can provide constant accompaniment during your immigration journey. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

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