Bill Overview
Title: Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H–2A Modernization Act
Description: This bill expands the H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) visa program to cover additional types of labor, makes various changes to the program, and provides a safe harbor for errors in nonimmigrant worker visa applications in certain instances. The bill makes H-2A visas available to an alien providing temporary labor that falls within the federal government classification categories for (1) grounds maintenance workers; (2) farming, fishing, and forestry occupations; or (3) forest, conservation, and logging workers. The bill authorizes joint employers to file a joint petition for an H-2A alien. The bill allows (1) employers seeking to rehire an H-2A worker to submit a simplified petition, and (2) employers seeking to hire H-2A workers for different time periods during a fiscal year to submit a single petition for such workers. The Department of Labor shall establish an electronic filing and appeals system for H-2A petitions. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shall communicate electronically with an H-2A employer when USCIS requests evidence from the employer, if the employer asks to do so. An employer who uses a third-party service to apply for a nonimmigrant worker visa shall not be civilly or criminally liable for errors in the application if the employer reasonably believed that the application was accurate and complied with statutory requirements.
Sponsors: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Target Audience
Population: Temporary agricultural and related industry workers worldwide
Estimated Size: 2000000
- The legislation expands the H-2A visa program to include more categories of workers such as grounds maintenance, farming, fishing, forestry, conservation, and logging work. This increases the number of potential foreign workers eligible for H-2A visas.
- Employers in agriculture and related sectors could benefit from simplified and automated visa application processes, potentially leading to more efficient hiring and management of foreign labor.
- Temporary agricultural and related industry workers worldwide are affected as they can be contracted under broader job categories now.
- USCIS and the Department of Labor will need to implement electronic systems for filing and appeals, affecting their operations.
Reasoning
- This policy is primarily targeted at agricultural employers and potential foreign workers eligible for H-2A visas. Therefore, the simulated population includes American farmers, foreign workers, agricultural organizations, and a few individuals who are indirectly affected or not affected at all.
- The budget constraints imply a focus on efficiency and streamlined processes, particularly in the first few years, so the policy's immediate impact may be more administrative but pivotal in long-term implications for stakeholders, leading to increased wellbeing scores primarily among those directly in the agricultural sector.
- Given the reduction in paperwork and modernization of the H-2A program, small and medium-sized farms may experience substantial benefits from this policy, as they often struggle with bureaucratic processes due to limited administrative resources.
- The potential impact on global agricultural labor could indirectly affect global agricultural economic dynamics but is out of the direct purview of this U.S.-focused simulation.
Simulated Interviews
Farm owner (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This new policy will hopefully reduce the amount of time we spend trying to get our paperwork done and help us rehire experienced workers easily.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
H-2A Visa Processing Specialist (Texas)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While this policy might reduce the overall complexity of paperwork, it also means I need to update my skills to handle the new electronic system.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Agricultural Worker (Mexico)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy means I can apply to more different types of jobs in the U.S, which is good for job security.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Forestry Manager (Washington)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Easing the visa filing process can help us maintain a steady workforce during peak seasons.
- I hope the electronic system simplifies everything as promised.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Logistics Coordinator (Georgia)
Age: 40 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I expect a smoother process to bring in workers which helps us meet our shipping quotas more efficiently.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cattle Rancher (Iowa)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy doesn't really impact me directly since I don't use H-2A workers.
- However, it's good for those who rely on them.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Conservation Worker (North Carolina)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the policy makes hiring easier, it could help us get more manpower for urgent projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired Farmer (Florida)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This sounds like a positive step for current farmers needing to adapt to new labor processes.
- Glad to see modernization might make things easier for them.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Agricultural Policy Analyst (Arkansas)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Interesting policy development, could lead to important shifts in labor dynamics.
- Will monitor how effectively the electronic systems are implemented.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Urban Gardener (Ohio)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems beneficial for large-scale farms more than small urban agriculture.
- I'm interested to see if there's any trickle-down effect on local food networks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 2: $18000000 (Low: $13000000, High: $23000000)
Year 3: $17000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $22000000)
Year 5: $16000000 (Low: $11000000, High: $21000000)
Year 10: $15000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $20000000)
Year 100: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Key Considerations
- How quickly USCIS and the Department of Labor can implement the electronic filing systems will be crucial for realizing intended efficiencies.
- Monitoring compliance with new visa categories and ensuring the welfare of additional foreign workers covered by the H-2A program will require attention.
- There could be resistance or challenges in the agricultural sector while transitioning to the new application processes.