U.S. and Guatemala Working Together on H-2A Recruiting

Governments in the U.S. and Guatemala are working together to form a “registered Foreign Labor Recruiter Program” for farmworkers who want to come to the U.S.  The initiative is part of several agreements that the governments are discussing to address what they call “irregular immigration patterns.”  Under the program, the U.S. would prioritize H-2A visa applications from Guatemalan workers ahead of other non-immigrant visa categories.  In conjunction with Guatemala’s Ministry of Labor, it would also start an outreach campaign to recruit workers.

Last week, the U.S. Labor Department released a rule that would change the H-2A certification process, which would possibly make it easier for producers to participate in the program and find the labor they need.  Current regulations require those employers seeking temporary workers through the program to complete a labor certification process to demonstrate the positions couldn’t be filled by U.S. workers. They must also show that hiring guest workers won’t hurt the wages of similarly-skilled U.S. workers.

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