US labor department ratifies rules for foreign farm workers after legal challenge

The US Labor Department has formally approved its 2021 rules for temporary foreign farm workers. This means the rules for hiring these workers, especially for herding and livestock, are now final and in effect.

The H-2A visa program allows US agricultural businesses to hire foreign workers for temporary or seasonal jobs. These rules clarify how the Labor Department decides if a farm's need for workers is truly temporary or seasonal, which affects how many visas are issued and for what types of work. This ratification means the department's process for approving these applications is now legally solid, even after a court challenge.