Foreign Labor Certification
WorkForce West Virginia staff are available to assist agricultural employers find and hire workers for their farms and agribusinesses. At local WorkForce West Virginia offices, employers may search to find U.S. workers by using the statewide labor exchange system. If the employer anticipates or experiences a shortage of qualified available domestic workers, they may apply to the Department of Labor to obtain temporary foreign workers. The Foreign Labor Certification programs are temporary or seasonal where employment is tied to a certain time of year, by an event or pattern such as a short growing cycle, which requires labor levels above what is necessary for ongoing operations.
There are two (2) temporary foreign labor certification programs through which employers may apply to the Department of Labor to hire foreign workers. Agricultural employers may apply to hire foreign workers using the H2-A temporary agricultural program and/or the H2-B temporary non-agricultural program which includes some tasks to be performed on farms or agribusinesses.
Non-agricultural employers may apply to hire foreign workers through the H2-B temporary non-agricultural program.
For more information on the Foreign Labor Certification process, please call WorkForce at 1-800-252-5627 or visit the U.S. Department of Labor website.
To begin searching for domestic workers, please download the Job Order Form.
If you have any questions, please call 1-800-252-5627.