Agricultural guestworker employment is rapidly expanding: H-2A jobs certified and visas issued, 2005–2019
| Jobs certified | Visas issued | |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 48,336 | 31,892 |
| 2006 | 59,110 | 37,149 |
| 2007 | 76,814 | 50,791 |
| 2008 | 82,099 | 64,404 |
| 2009 | 86,014 | 60,112 |
| 2010 | 79,011 | 55,921 |
| 2011 | 77,246 | 55,384 |
| 2012 | 85,248 | 65,345 |
| 2013 | 98,821 | 74,192 |
| 2014 | 116,689 | 89,274 |
| 2015 | 139,832 | 108,144 |
| 2016 | 165,741 | 134,368 |
| 2017 | 200,049 | 161,583 |
| 2018 | 242,762 | 196,409 |
| 2019 | 257,667 | 204,801 |
Note: H-2A farmworkers—migrant workers hired to fill temporary or seasonal agriculture jobs lasting less than one year—make up 10% of crop farmworkers in the United States.
Source: Authors’ analysis of U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, OFLC Performance Data, and U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Nonimmigrant Visa Statistics