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Jesup, IA | We have had J1 or H2A workers at our farm since 2016. So this is a question I field often.
Many mistake that hiring immigrants is like ordering off a menu. “Hi, I’d like to hire somebody who will work 60-90 hours a week during peak season. They should know how to use all the latest technology, but be just as pleased to scoop and shovel. I’m offering very simply accommodations to live in, and they should be pleased to live half way around the globe from family and friends.”
In reality, if you are looking for a “bulk quantity” of workers, like 10 or 20, you probably have repetitive tasks in mind, like picking crops, weeding fields, tending a lot of animals. Then the H2A firms will be your best bet.
If you are looking for 5 or less very key workers, then it becomes much just like recruiting help at home, it’s just that since they are so far from home, you can make the arrangement customized to suit both of you.
I’m going to assume that you are in the second camp of needing a few workers. In that case, you interview, decide if the person(s) have the skills and can be placed in a situation that will benefit both of you. The law dictates H2A pay rates, but that doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t make things so you are an attractive place to work. Work schedule, time off, inclusion in farm and family events, quality of living quarters and availability of transportation can all be such that you are an attractive place to work. For example, our H2A’s are all enjoying the day at our family’s Thanksgiving dinner.
We have had success hiring recent college grads from Europe and South America looking for a season or few seasons in America. Then it becomes like a “pickup game of basketball.” They tell other students, cousins, neighbors….. We have tried hiring mid-career farmers who were displaced because of economic or social conditions back home, but our experience is that more often than not, when conditions improve, employment at your farm is less aligned with their long term plan.
Our H2A “stream” comes from giving foreign farmers visiting America tours of our farm, as they always know young people who could use a season or two of experience living abroad. Also, we are very close to a couple community colleges. They have exchange programs that often yield candidates. Finally, our previous and current H2A workers tend to know other young people looking for an American experience.
I hope this helps, but this is not like “ordering out of a catalog” in any way for our farm.
Edited by Ben Riensche 11/28/2024 08:58
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Labor Market- can someone help me find an immigrant worker?
