Entry Level H-2A Visa Jobs
H-2A visa sponsorship is employer-driven: the farm, ranch, or agricultural operation files the petition on your behalf before you can work legally in the U.S. Entry level positions require no prior U.S. experience, but timing your application to the employer's DOL-certified season window is what separates candidates who get placed from those who miss out.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Temporary farmworkers needed for crawfish season.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Job duties include:
- Daily upkeep along with minor repairs & maintenance to shops, barns, levees, and farm roads
- Operate & maintain farm equipment
- Mow grass, rake, dig ditches & remove debris, trash, brush, and weeds, etc.
- Use of hand tools (shovels, sprayer, hoses, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, knives, etc.)
- Harvest crawfish, prepare ponds, maintain water levels, walk levees & repair as needed
- Build & repair traps
- Manually cut up fish bait, set, bait, check, & re-bait crawfish traps, involving frequent stooping & lifting of traps from pond
- Operate push & motorized crawfish boats
- Grade, wash & sack crawfish for shipment
- Load & unload trucks
Physical Requirements
Perform extensive physical activities using repetitive body movement for long periods such as:
- Climb
- Lift up to 70lbs
- Balance
- Walk
- Bend
- Stretch
- Twist
- Kneel
- Push
- Pull & handle materials
Possible contact with snakes, alligators, insects, frogs, etc. Able to work outside in inclement weather conditions from exposure to extreme heat to cold & rain.
Pre-employment drug screening is not required; however, once hired employer reserves the right to request all workers to submit random drug screening throughout employment at no cost to worker. Testing positive or failure to comply may result in immediate termination. Time may vary due to unforeseen mechanical problems, severe weather conditions decreasing crop availability, or causing early completion to crawfish harvest season.
INTRODUCTION
Temporary farmworkers needed for crawfish season.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Job duties include:
- Daily upkeep along with minor repairs & maintenance to shops, barns, levees, and farm roads
- Operate & maintain farm equipment
- Mow grass, rake, dig ditches & remove debris, trash, brush, and weeds, etc.
- Use of hand tools (shovels, sprayer, hoses, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, knives, etc.)
- Harvest crawfish, prepare ponds, maintain water levels, walk levees & repair as needed
- Build & repair traps
- Manually cut up fish bait, set, bait, check, & re-bait crawfish traps, involving frequent stooping & lifting of traps from pond
- Operate push & motorized crawfish boats
- Grade, wash & sack crawfish for shipment
- Load & unload trucks
Physical Requirements
Perform extensive physical activities using repetitive body movement for long periods such as:
- Climb
- Lift up to 70lbs
- Balance
- Walk
- Bend
- Stretch
- Twist
- Kneel
- Push
- Pull & handle materials
Possible contact with snakes, alligators, insects, frogs, etc. Able to work outside in inclement weather conditions from exposure to extreme heat to cold & rain.
Pre-employment drug screening is not required; however, once hired employer reserves the right to request all workers to submit random drug screening throughout employment at no cost to worker. Testing positive or failure to comply may result in immediate termination. Time may vary due to unforeseen mechanical problems, severe weather conditions decreasing crop availability, or causing early completion to crawfish harvest season.
See all 15,676+ Entry Level H-2A Visa Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Entry Level H-2A Visa Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-2A Visa Jobs
Match your availability to crop calendars
H-2A visa certifications are tied to specific seasonal windows, so your available start date must align with the employer's DOL-approved period of need. Applying outside that window means you won't qualify for that petition.
Confirm the employer holds a valid ETA-790A
Before accepting any offer, verify the employer filed a job order with DOL and received a certified ETA-790A. An uncertified employer can't legally bring you in on H-2A status, regardless of what they promise.
Search H-2A filings on Migrate Mate to target active sponsors
Pull up H-2A employer filing history on Migrate Mate to see which operations have sponsored workers in your target crop type or region. This cuts out employers who express interest but have no established sponsorship track record.
Understand the three-quarters guarantee before signing
DOL requires H-2A employers to offer work for at least 75 percent of the certified workdays in the contract. Knowing this protects you if work slows mid-season and you need to hold the employer accountable.
Get your consulate appointment before your intended start date
USCIS approval of the I-129 doesn't automatically grant your visa stamp. You still need a consular interview, and appointment slots at some posts book up weeks out, so factor that timeline in from the moment you receive a job offer.
Check the prevailing wage before evaluating any offer
Run your job title and work county through the OFLC Wage Search to see the DOL-set prevailing wage for that role and region. H-2A employers must meet or exceed it, so you'll know immediately if an offer is compliant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior agricultural experience to get H-2A sponsorship?
No prior U.S. work experience is required for most H-2A positions. Employers hiring for general farmworker, harvest, and planting roles typically need a willingness to do physical outdoor work and availability for the full contract period. Some specialized roles like equipment operation may list prior experience as a preference, but it rarely disqualifies otherwise strong candidates.
How do I find employers actively sponsoring H-2A workers right now?
Migrate Mate shows which employers have active or recent H-2A filings, so you can target operations that are already set up to sponsor rather than approaching farms that have never gone through the process. DOL also publishes certified job orders, but filtering them by crop type, state, and start date is time-consuming without a tool built for that search.
Can I switch employers mid-season if conditions on the farm are poor?
Your H-2A status is tied to the specific employer named on the approved I-129 petition. Switching employers mid-season isn't a simple transfer. The new employer would need to file a separate petition and receive DOL certification for their own season. If conditions violate DOL-required protections like housing standards or the three-quarters wage guarantee, contact the Wage and Hour Division to report it.
What documents do I need to bring to my H-2A visa interview?
You'll need a valid passport, the DS-160 confirmation barcode, your visa fee receipt, and the employer's offer letter and petition approval notice. Some consulates also request proof of your home-country ties, such as property records or family documentation, since officers assess whether you'll return at the end of your contract period.
Is the H-2A visa tied to one specific job or can I do other farm work?
Your H-2A petition covers the specific job duties and employer listed in the DOL-certified ETA-790A. You can't legally work for a different farm or in a substantially different role without a new petition. That said, many employers rotate workers across tasks within the same operation, which is permitted as long as it falls within the scope of the certified job order.