Farm Worker Visa: Requirements, Benefits, Countries offering it, and Application Process

I’m sure you have seen how people from other countries get a visa to work on farms in places like the United States, Canada, or Europe.

This type of visa is what we call a farm worker visa or agricultural worker visa, and if you get it, you will be allowed to legally travel to another country to work on farms.

You will do jobs like planting, picking, packing, or harvesting crops.

If you are not familiar with this visa, here’s what the farm worker visa is, how it works, who can apply, and how to get one easily.

What is a farm worker visa?

A farm worker visa is a type of work visa that lets foreign workers travel to another country and work in agriculture.

The jobs they do are usually seasonal, which means you work only for a few months during the farming season.

For example, in the U.S., farm workers can come from countries like Mexico or Jamaica to work during the apple or strawberry picking season.

After the season ends, they go back home.

Recently, we shared an article on work visas (you can read it here: Everything you need to know about work visas), where we discussed work visas extensively.

This farmer’s work visa is a part of the different work visas we have.

However, it only serves farm work purposes, you can’t use it to work in other sectors like oil and gas or IT.

Why do countries offer farm worker visas?

In many countries, there are many local workers to do all the farm jobs available, this is not the case in some countries.

Many countries don’t have enough local workers to do all the farm jobs. These jobs are usually hard, involve long hours, and are done in rural areas.

Because of this, farmers ask the government to let foreign workers come and help.

So the visa helps:

• • • Farmers get foreign farm workers to help them do farm work.
    • Foreign farm workers make money legally.
    • Crops get harvested on time.
    • More products are supplied to the market.
    • The country benefits via economic growth – a win-win for everyone.

Popular countries that offer farm worker visas

You will find farm worker visas in countries like:

• • • United States – The H-2A Visa for temporary agricultural workers
    • Canada – The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)
    • United Kingdom – Seasonal Worker visa for agriculture
    • Australia – Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme
    • New Zealand – Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme

Each of these visas (offered by these countries) has different terms and conditions that come with them, but generally, they allow foreign farm workers to come into the country to do farm jobs legally.

Different types of visa for farm workers – Farm worker visa types

Below are the different farm worker visas we have:

1. United States – H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker Visa

The H-2A visa is synonymous with the United States of America. It allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for seasonal farm jobs.

As a US employer, you will only be allowed to get a foreign worker through this visa if you obtain certification from the U.S. Department of Labour.

The certification shows that there is a need for foreign workers and that hiring them won’t negatively affect U.S. workers’ wages or conditions.

Once approved, the foreign worker you want to employ can apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

This visa is:

• • • Temporary: It is usually valid for up to one year, with possible extensions.
    • Employer-sponsored: The farmer or company applies first
    • Job-specific: You can only work for the employer who hired you

How it works:

• A U.S. farmer applies to the government for permission to bring in foreign farm workers.
• The government will look into the farmer’s request and decide whether to approve it or reject it.
• If they approve it, the farmer will then hire farm workers from other countries like Mexico, Guatemala, or South Africa.
• The farm workers will then apply for the H-2A visa through the U.S. embassy in their country.
• Once their visa application is approved, they will travel to the U.S. and work for the farmer.

Official resource: USCIS H-2A Visa.

2. Canada – Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)

Just like in the US, through Canada’s SAWP, farm employers can hire temporary foreign workers (from participating countries) to do seasonal farm work for them.

As a farm employer, before you are allowed to hire a foreign worker, you must show that there is a labour shortage in Canada by getting a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Foreign workers who come to Canada through this pathway can stay in the country for up to one year before leaving.

Read more here: Canada SAWP Overview.

3. United Kingdom – Seasonal Worker Visa (Temporary Work)

The United Kingdom is not left out – they also have a farm work visa.

The UK’s Seasonal Worker visa permits foreign workers to come into the country and work in horticulture for up to six months.

Before you are issued this visa, you will get a certificate of sponsorship from a UK-based employer.

When you finally get the visa, you will only work for the employer who sponsored you, and you don’t have access to public funds.

The main aim of this visa is to address labour shortages in the UK’s agricultural sector.

Read more here: UK Seasonal Worker Visa.

4. Australia–Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme

With Australia’s PALM, farm workers from the Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste can come to the country and do seasonal farm work.

If you get this visa, you can stay in Australia for up to nine months.

Plus, your accommodation, healthcare, and other necessary needs will be provided by your employer.

Australia use this program to benefit its industries and the economies of participating countries.

Read more: Australian Agriculture Visa

Other types of farm worker visas and countries offering them are:

5. New Zealand – Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Scheme – NZ RSE Visa

6. Germany – Seasonal Work Visa – Germany Seasonal Work

7. Spain – Seasonal Worker Visa – Spain Seasonal Worker Visa

8. Italy – Seasonal Work Visa – Seasonal work visa

9. France – Seasonal Worker Visa (Travailleur Saisonnier) – France Seasonal Worker Visa – European Commission

10. Netherlands – Seasonal Work Residence Permit – Residence permit for seasonal work | IND

11. Poland – Seasonal Work Permit (Type D-05B Visa) – Poland Seasonal Work Permit

12. Sweden – Seasonal Work Permit – Apply for a permit for seasonal work in Sweden – Migrationsverket

13. Norway – Seasonal Work Visa – Want to apply: Seasonal workers – UDI

14. Finland – Seasonal Work Permit – Finland – Seasonal worker – European Commission – EU Immigration Portal

15. Switzerland – Seasonal Work Visa – Guide to Seasonal Work Visas for Farming in Switzerland

Who can apply for a farm worker visa?

You can apply if:

• • • You’re from a country approved by the destination government
    • You’re physically fit and can work long hours
    • You have a job offer from a licensed farm or employer
    • You meet the age requirement (often 18+)
    • You pass all the required medical or background checks

As you can see from the discussion so far, you can’t apply for this visa on your own; you need a job offer from an employer.

What kind of work will you do with the farm worker visa?

The kind of farm jobs you will do if you get this visa are:

• • • Picking fruits and vegetables
    • Planting crops
    • Watering and fertilising plants
    • Sorting and packing produce
    • Cleaning farm tools and equipment

The whole thing works this way: a farm in California needs to hire 20 farmers to work on its grape farm.

He searched for local farmers but couldn’t find them, then he went to the government to express interest in hiring foreign workers from Mexico.

The government looks at his claims, sees that it is genuine and then gives him approval to hire foreign workers.

He then contacts foreign workers to come work for him on his farm and get paid.

The workers (he contacted to hire) then apply for the H-2A visa, get approval and then come to California.

They live in a house provided by the farmer and work for about 3–6 months before returning home.

Benefits of a farm worker visa

• As a foreign farm worker, the visa allows you to work in a new country
• You will make good money to support yourself or your family
• It is a short-term visa, so you’re not stuck in one place for years

Challenges of getting a farm worker visa

While it’s a good opportunity, there are also some hard parts:

• • • You will work long hours (10–12 hours a day)
    • It requires tough physical labour (hot sun, lifting, bending)
    • It is a short-term visa, so you will need to reapply each year

Still, for many workers, the benefits are worth it.

How to apply for a farm worker visa

To apply for the farmer work visa, you should first:

• Find a sponsor or employer who will sponsor your application for a visa.
• The employer applies to the government for permission to hire foreign workers.
• If approved, the employer sends you an official job offer or contract.
• You accept the job offer and then apply for a farm worker visa at the embassy or consulate in your country.
• If your visa is approved, you’ll go to the issuing country and start working for the employer who sponsored your visa.

If you want to become a farm worker abroad, you must get a farm worker visa.

Whether it’s the U.S. H-2A visa, Canada’s SAWP, or another farm work visa, it is the only way you will get the legal permission to work as a farm worker in another country.