H-2A Worker Demands Continue to Increase

Even before the longstanding labor market crunch, farms had difficulty recruiting domestic workers for farm work. This resulted in farms increasingly turning to the H-2A visa program to get international workers to meet agricultural labor demand. Unsurprisingly, as the unemployment rate fell to historically low levels over 2022 and 2023, the use of the H-2A program surged. The latest numbers for the Department of Labor indicate that demand for H-2A workers continued to climb in fiscal year 2023 – although at a slower pace – to a record high. Total certified positions came to 378,513 in 2023, over 100,000 more than in 2020.

The top states employing H-2A workers are Florida, California, Georgia, Washington, and North Carolina, but all 50 states reported the use of H-2A positions in 2023. Employing H-2A workers can pose unique challenges to your general liability, automobile, and workers’ compensation insurance programs. Unique endorsements need to be included on each of these lines of coverage to protect you, as well as potential bonding requirements.

Be sure to discuss your use of H-2A workers with your insurance agent to secure all the coverages necessary and required by law to protect your workers and your company. The AssuredPartners Agribusiness team can assist your organization with all these coverage concerns.