Source: FARM BUREAU, 2/5/21


Recently released H-2A program data reveals some interesting impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time since the Department of Labor began reporting quarterly data in 2013, the number of certified positions declined in the fourth quarter (July 1 – Sept. 30) of fiscal year 2020. However, the number of certified positions in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020 (Oct. 1 – Dec. 31) climbed by nearly 20%, suggesting that while the  pandemic has shifted the pattern of worker arrivals, it has not suppressed the overall upward trajectory of the program.

Generally, the H-2A program is discussed on a fiscal year basis (October – September). However, we can all agree that calendar year 2020 was a beast all its own, giving us a reason to look at H-2A data through a calendar year lens. We’ll start by looking at the fiscal year though, given that it is the primary basis for comparison.

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