Overview
- Effective October 2, 2025, employers may file electronically before final labor certification as a procedural change takes effect.
- Once the Labor Department issues a notice of acceptance, growers can submit the new Form I-129H2A online for petitions with unnamed beneficiaries.
- USCIS will not approve any H-2A petition until the Labor Department grants the temporary labor certification to safeguard U.S. wages and conditions.
- The I-129H2A is digital-only via a USCIS account and paper submissions of this form will be rejected, while paper filers must stick with the standard I-129 and wait for DOL approval.
- Roughly 385,000 H-2A visas were issued in FY2024, with Florida leading usage followed by Georgia and California, underscoring the policy’s reach.