08/31/2026
🌾 LET’S TALK COST
20 H-2A WORKERS: WHAT DOES THAT REALLY COST A FARM?
There is a common perception that H-2A workers are simply “cheap labor.”
Let’s put some numbers to that.
For this example, we’re looking at a 6-month agricultural season, 40 hours per week, and using an illustrative wage of $12.94/hour.
The actual required H-2A wage depends on the applicable wage rules, occupation, skill level, location, and job order.
ONE WORKER
1,040 hours × $12.94 = $13,458 in wages
But the employer’s cost doesn’t stop at the paycheck.
The employer may also have costs for:
• Housing
• Utilities and housing maintenance
• Transportation to and from the worksite
• Inbound and return transportation
• Travel subsistence
• H-2A agent/legal/administrative costs
• Workers’ compensation
• Required tools, supplies and equipment
• Meals or cooking facilities
• Vehicles, fuel, insurance and maintenance
• Payroll and recordkeeping
• Compliance and required documentation
For illustration, let’s use an additional $9,500 per worker for these expenses.
That puts the estimated total at approximately:
$22,958 PER WORKER
Now let’s look at the workforce.
H-2A Workers Illustrative 6-Month Cost
5 $114,790
10 $229,580
20 $459,160
50 $1,147,900
And this is BEFORE considering unexpected costs.
Weather can shut down a harvest.
Equipment can break.
Crops can be damaged.
Work can slow down.
Yet the employer still has significant obligations under the H-2A contract.
The H-2A program also generally requires the employer to guarantee at least three-fourths of the work hours specified in the contract. (U.S. Department of Labor)
And when workers qualify for employer-provided housing, that housing must be provided at no cost to the workers. Employers also have transportation, workers’ compensation, tools/equipment and meals or cooking-facility obligations. (U.S. Department of Labor)
SO, IS H-2A CHEAP?
No.
It is a significant investment.
But here’s the other side of the story:
For many agricultural businesses, the question isn’t:
“Can I find cheap labor?”
The question is:
“Can I find enough qualified, dependable workers to get the job done?”
Planting has to happen.
Crops have to be maintained.
Harvest has to happen on time.
A crop sitting in the field doesn’t wait for the labor market to improve.
H-2A can provide agricultural employers with access to a workforce when they cannot find enough able, willing, qualified and available U.S. workers.
H-2A isn’t simply about the hourly wage.
It’s about the TOTAL COST of the workforce.
