Agriculture H-2B Sponsorship Jobs in California
California's agriculture industry relies heavily on seasonal workers, and H-2B visas are one of the primary legal pathways employers use to fill those gaps. From grape harvests in the Central Valley and Napa to strawberry operations in Watsonville and citrus groves in the San Joaquin Valley, companies including Wonderful Company, Driscoll's, and Sun-Maid have histories of seasonal sponsorship hiring.
Find Agriculture JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 57+ Agriculture H-2B Sponsorship Jobs in California
See all 57+ Agriculture H-2B Sponsorship Jobs in California
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Agriculture H-2B Sponsorship Jobs in California.
Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
H-2A and corresponding domestic workers must be available to perform each of the following job activities in connection with the harvesting and farming operations:
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Citrus Worker (lemons, oranges, mandarins, and grapefruits), Tree Pruning, General Labor, Tractor Driver, Forklift Driver, QC, Prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment, General Farm Labor / General Ranch Maintenance to perform the following duties:
Under the direction of the field supervisor, the worker picks up a ladder using the arms and leans it against the citrus tree. The worker carries an empty sack around the neck and upper body to place the harvested product. The worker also holds a pair of clippers in his/her hand to clip fruit (there is no manual handling / pulling of the citrus fruit as this will severely damage the crop). Climbing up the ladder, the worker grabs the product, clips it and places it in the sack. Full sacks weigh between 50 and 80 lbs. Once the sack is full, the workers descend the ladder and walk for approximately 5-30 feet and dump the sack into a bin. The cycle is repeated until the end of the shift. Prepares freshly harvested crop for shipment.
Tree Pruning: Under the direction of the field supervisor, the worker goes into the field and is assigned their own line of trees to prune. They wear leather gloves, and also carry with them a pair pruning shears and a hand saw (can be powered by gas) and uses both to trim the unwanted branches or debris from the tree. As the worker advances from tree to tree, the large pieces falling off from the it are taken out and are placed to the side next to the irrigation lines, the rest is moved into the road. Cycle repeats until all the trees are cleaned. On a separate process workers using a rake like tool pile up the debris on the road and a machine passes through it to break it down. Cycle repeats. Lastly workers perform weeding of the field, using long hand held hoe.
Forklift Driver Specifications: The Forklift driver is responsible for inspecting the forklift. Forklift drivers use knobs and levers to operate the forklift. Duties include the transferring and stacking of bins full of product onto the trailer. The employee works in an area that consists of 300 ft. in radius. Cycle is repeated.
Tractor Driver Specifications: The tractor driver is responsible for inspecting the tractor. Duties include getting in and out of the fields. The tractor driver takes empty bins, goes into the lot and sets them throughout the lot for workers to fill with product. The tractor driver gets in and out of the field as bins are set. Once workers fill up the bin, the tractor driver gets into the lot to take out the bins full of product. The tractor driver takes them out of the field and once out the field, a forklift transfers the product into the trailer. Cycle is repeated.
General Ranch Maintenance / General Farm Labor includes, but is not limited to, on the farm road maintenance and dust control to farm roadways by means of farm equipment.
INTRODUCTION
H-2A and corresponding domestic workers must be available to perform each of the following job activities in connection with the harvesting and farming operations:
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Citrus Worker (lemons, oranges, mandarins, and grapefruits), Tree Pruning, General Labor, Tractor Driver, Forklift Driver, QC, Prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment, General Farm Labor / General Ranch Maintenance to perform the following duties:
Under the direction of the field supervisor, the worker picks up a ladder using the arms and leans it against the citrus tree. The worker carries an empty sack around the neck and upper body to place the harvested product. The worker also holds a pair of clippers in his/her hand to clip fruit (there is no manual handling / pulling of the citrus fruit as this will severely damage the crop). Climbing up the ladder, the worker grabs the product, clips it and places it in the sack. Full sacks weigh between 50 and 80 lbs. Once the sack is full, the workers descend the ladder and walk for approximately 5-30 feet and dump the sack into a bin. The cycle is repeated until the end of the shift. Prepares freshly harvested crop for shipment.
Tree Pruning: Under the direction of the field supervisor, the worker goes into the field and is assigned their own line of trees to prune. They wear leather gloves, and also carry with them a pair pruning shears and a hand saw (can be powered by gas) and uses both to trim the unwanted branches or debris from the tree. As the worker advances from tree to tree, the large pieces falling off from the it are taken out and are placed to the side next to the irrigation lines, the rest is moved into the road. Cycle repeats until all the trees are cleaned. On a separate process workers using a rake like tool pile up the debris on the road and a machine passes through it to break it down. Cycle repeats. Lastly workers perform weeding of the field, using long hand held hoe.
Forklift Driver Specifications: The Forklift driver is responsible for inspecting the forklift. Forklift drivers use knobs and levers to operate the forklift. Duties include the transferring and stacking of bins full of product onto the trailer. The employee works in an area that consists of 300 ft. in radius. Cycle is repeated.
Tractor Driver Specifications: The tractor driver is responsible for inspecting the tractor. Duties include getting in and out of the fields. The tractor driver takes empty bins, goes into the lot and sets them throughout the lot for workers to fill with product. The tractor driver gets in and out of the field as bins are set. Once workers fill up the bin, the tractor driver gets into the lot to take out the bins full of product. The tractor driver takes them out of the field and once out the field, a forklift transfers the product into the trailer. Cycle is repeated.
General Ranch Maintenance / General Farm Labor includes, but is not limited to, on the farm road maintenance and dust control to farm roadways by means of farm equipment.
H-2B Agriculture Job Roles in California
See all 57+ Agriculture H-2B Jobs in California
Sign up for free to filter by visa type, set job alerts, and find employers with verified sponsorship history.
Search Agriculture Jobs in CaliforniaAgriculture H-2B Sponsorship Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which agriculture companies sponsor H-2B visas in California?
Large-scale growers and packing operations in California's Central Valley, Salinas Valley, and Coachella Valley have historically filed H-2B petitions. Companies involved in grape, strawberry, citrus, and tree nut production, including operations affiliated with Wonderful Company and Driscoll's, have used temporary worker programs. Sponsorship activity varies by season and annual labor needs, so current petition filings are the most reliable indicator.
Which cities in California have the most agriculture H-2B sponsorship jobs?
The highest concentration of agriculture H-2B activity is in the Central Valley, particularly around Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield, and Stockton. The Salinas Valley, centered on Salinas and Watsonville, is a major hub for berry and leafy green harvesting. Coachella and Thermal in the desert south see significant date and grape harvesting activity during their respective peak seasons.
What types of agriculture roles typically qualify for H-2B sponsorship?
H-2B covers temporary non-agricultural work, but certain on-farm roles that fall outside the H-2A visa classification, such as equipment operators, packing shed workers, irrigation technicians, and supervisory field positions, may qualify. Roles must be genuinely temporary, tied to a peak season or one-time need, and the employer must demonstrate U.S. workers are unavailable. Most field harvesting roles fall under H-2A, not H-2B.
How do I find agriculture H-2B sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate lists verified H-2B sponsorship jobs filtered by state and industry, making it straightforward to find agriculture-related H-2B openings specifically in California. Because H-2B agriculture roles in California are tied to seasonal cycles, checking Migrate Mate regularly during late winter and spring, when employers typically begin filing petitions for summer and fall harvests, gives you the best window for current openings.
Are there any California-specific considerations for H-2B agriculture sponsorship?
California's strict labor laws, including its own wage standards and worker protection rules, apply to H-2B workers alongside federal requirements. Employers must comply with both the prevailing wage determined by the Department of Labor and any applicable California minimum wage. The state's agricultural regions also have defined peak seasons that drive petition timing, so H-2B petitions for California agriculture jobs are typically filed well in advance of the harvest window.
What is the prevailing wage for H-2B agriculture jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.