H-2A Sponsorship Jobs in North Carolina
North Carolina is one of the top H-2A visa states in the country, driven by a massive agricultural sector spanning tobacco, sweet potatoes, Christmas trees, and nursery crops. Most sponsorship activity is concentrated in the eastern counties and Piedmont region, with employers filing thousands of positions each year.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Grade, sort, and package sweet potatoes grown on the farm. Workers may work in packing, shipping, maintenance, box or food safety departments. Workers stack, weigh and dump produce. May hand-fill boxes or bags with produce. May label or tag produce. Make boxes. Create and follow load tickets and other forms. Prepare inventory, logs and reports. Perform sanitation duties. May operate forklift or pallet jack. Pull weeds/chop: Workers will walk along rows as specified by employer and remove weeds and grass from fields by hand or using a hoe. Prepare soil for planting, plant, transplant, cultivate and harvest crops. Load and unload crops and farm materials. May operate and perform minor maintenance and repairs on farm vehicles, implements and equipment. May repair fences, greenhouses and other farm buildings and structures. Perform farm, field and shed sanitation duties. Mow grass and operate trimmer around farm buildings. Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting. Operate farm vehicles to haul crops and drive other farmworkers from place to place around the farm properties (including on public roads to reach farmer's fields) during the workday. May operate light truck, van, or bus off the farm and over the road to drive themselves or other farmworkers from place to place, such as to the grocery store, bank, government agencies, medical or dental offices and so forth. May operate truck to transport crops produced on the farm (in its unmanufactured state) to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market. Though not a hiring requirement, if a worker drives a company vehicle during the period of employment, then at the time of operating the company vehicle the driver must possess a valid driver's license issued by a U.S. state or foreign equivalent and operate the company vehicle in accordance with the license restrictions and vehicle classifications applicable to that license.
Responsibilities
- Sweet potato plant pullers will stoop, bend and kneel to pull sweet potato plants from beds, exercising care in selecting plants of appropriate size as specified by supervisor.
- Selected plants will be boxed in an orderly fashion in field crates and crates windrowed and loaded on trailers for transport.
- May ride mechanical transplanter.
- May walk behind transplanter to reset missing plants.
- Sweet potato transplanting will be paid hourly.
- Sweet potato harvest workers will walk along row that has been previously plowed.
- Workers will stoop, bend and kneel to pick up sweet potatoes using hands and fingers to dig out unexposed potatoes.
- Workers may grade in the field separating #1 'sand #2's into separated 5/8 field hampers.
- Canners, when harvested, will be placed into a separate bin.
- Damaged or diseased potatoes will not be harvested.
- Worker will be required to stay on assigned row.
- Full hampers weighing up 35 lbs. will be carried to truck row to be loaded onto truck or trailer.
- Workers may be required to ride mechanical harvester.
- Workers may be required to perform other duties as required by the employer.
- Hand harvesting sweet potatoes will be paid hourly.
INTRODUCTION
Grade, sort, and package sweet potatoes grown on the farm. Workers may work in packing, shipping, maintenance, box or food safety departments. Workers stack, weigh and dump produce. May hand-fill boxes or bags with produce. May label or tag produce. Make boxes. Create and follow load tickets and other forms. Prepare inventory, logs and reports. Perform sanitation duties. May operate forklift or pallet jack. Pull weeds/chop: Workers will walk along rows as specified by employer and remove weeds and grass from fields by hand or using a hoe. Prepare soil for planting, plant, transplant, cultivate and harvest crops. Load and unload crops and farm materials. May operate and perform minor maintenance and repairs on farm vehicles, implements and equipment. May repair fences, greenhouses and other farm buildings and structures. Perform farm, field and shed sanitation duties. Mow grass and operate trimmer around farm buildings. Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting. Operate farm vehicles to haul crops and drive other farmworkers from place to place around the farm properties (including on public roads to reach farmer's fields) during the workday. May operate light truck, van, or bus off the farm and over the road to drive themselves or other farmworkers from place to place, such as to the grocery store, bank, government agencies, medical or dental offices and so forth. May operate truck to transport crops produced on the farm (in its unmanufactured state) to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market. Though not a hiring requirement, if a worker drives a company vehicle during the period of employment, then at the time of operating the company vehicle the driver must possess a valid driver's license issued by a U.S. state or foreign equivalent and operate the company vehicle in accordance with the license restrictions and vehicle classifications applicable to that license.
Responsibilities
- Sweet potato plant pullers will stoop, bend and kneel to pull sweet potato plants from beds, exercising care in selecting plants of appropriate size as specified by supervisor.
- Selected plants will be boxed in an orderly fashion in field crates and crates windrowed and loaded on trailers for transport.
- May ride mechanical transplanter.
- May walk behind transplanter to reset missing plants.
- Sweet potato transplanting will be paid hourly.
- Sweet potato harvest workers will walk along row that has been previously plowed.
- Workers will stoop, bend and kneel to pick up sweet potatoes using hands and fingers to dig out unexposed potatoes.
- Workers may grade in the field separating #1 'sand #2's into separated 5/8 field hampers.
- Canners, when harvested, will be placed into a separate bin.
- Damaged or diseased potatoes will not be harvested.
- Worker will be required to stay on assigned row.
- Full hampers weighing up 35 lbs. will be carried to truck row to be loaded onto truck or trailer.
- Workers may be required to ride mechanical harvester.
- Workers may be required to perform other duties as required by the employer.
- Hand harvesting sweet potatoes will be paid hourly.
Search H-2A Jobs by Industry in North Carolina
Tips for Finding H-2A Sponsorship Jobs in North Carolina
Target eastern North Carolina counties first
The highest concentration of H-2A employers in North Carolina is in Harnett, Johnston, Wayne, and Wilson counties. Starting your search in these areas gives you access to the densest cluster of active agricultural sponsors in the state.
Understand seasonal filing windows
North Carolina employers file H-2A petitions on predictable cycles tied to tobacco, sweet potato, and Christmas tree harvests. Knowing these timelines helps you identify when employers are actively recruiting and when to submit your application materials.
Look beyond row crops to nursery and greenhouse work
North Carolina's nursery and greenhouse industry is one of the largest in the Southeast and sponsors H-2A visas year-round, not just during traditional harvest seasons. This sector offers more scheduling flexibility than field crop operations.
Use Migrate Mate to browse verified H-2A listings
Migrate Mate filters job listings by visa type, so you can browse H-2A sponsorship positions in North Carolina directly without sorting through unsponsored roles. This saves significant time when evaluating your options across industries and counties.
Check whether an agricultural association is involved
Many smaller North Carolina farms use agricultural labor associations like the North Carolina Growers Association to coordinate H-2A filings on their behalf. Jobs posted through these associations often represent multiple farm employers under a single application.
Confirm housing is included before accepting a position
North Carolina H-2A employers are legally required to provide free housing to workers who cannot reasonably return home daily. Verifying the housing arrangement upfront, including location relative to the worksite, helps you avoid logistical complications after arrival.
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Get Access To All JobsH-2A Jobs in North Carolina: Frequently Asked Questions
Which industries in North Carolina sponsor the most H-2A visas?
Agriculture dominates H-2A visa sponsorship in North Carolina by a wide margin. Tobacco farming consistently accounts for the largest share of certified positions, followed by sweet potato cultivation, Christmas tree growing, and nursery and greenhouse operations. Forestry reforestation work also generates a notable number of H-2A filings, particularly in the western and central parts of the state.
Which cities or counties in North Carolina have the most H-2A sponsorship jobs?
H-2A activity in North Carolina is concentrated in the eastern and central counties rather than major cities. Johnston, Harnett, Wayne, Wilson, and Nash counties are among the highest-volume areas for certified H-2A positions. In the western part of the state, Avery and Mitchell counties see significant Christmas tree-related filings. Farm operations in these areas account for the majority of annual petitions.
What types of roles typically qualify for H-2A sponsorship in North Carolina?
H-2A sponsorship in North Carolina covers temporary and seasonal agricultural work. Common qualifying roles include tobacco harvest workers, sweet potato field laborers, nursery transplanting and irrigation workers, Christmas tree planting and shearing crews, and reforestation planters. These positions require physical outdoor work and are tied to specific growing or harvest seasons, which is the core eligibility requirement under the H-2A program.
How do I find H-2A sponsorship jobs in North Carolina?
Migrate Mate lists H-2A sponsorship jobs by state, so you can filter directly for North Carolina positions without sifting through roles that don't offer visa sponsorship. Beyond that, the U.S. Department of Labor's job order system publishes active H-2A postings that employers are required to list domestically before petitioning. Checking both sources gives you the broadest view of current openings.
Are there any North Carolina-specific considerations for H-2A workers I should know about?
North Carolina enforces the Migrant Housing Act, which sets specific standards for employer-provided housing that go beyond federal H-2A requirements in some respects. The state also has an active network of legal aid organizations that provide worker rights information to H-2A employees. Additionally, North Carolina's growing seasons are weather-dependent, so actual start dates can shift from the certified petition dates, which is worth clarifying with the employer before travel.