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USA Farm Labor is a US agency assisting US farmers in solving their growing labour need by providing foreign workers for seasonal labour.
USAFL has been involved in the H2A market since 2003, and since 2004 they are our trusted US service provider. Manuel Fick, CEO of USA Farm Labor, is a former South African.
USAFL is an excellent and well-organized company that provides exceptional after-care service to our employees during their stay in the USA. It provides the peace of mind that many workers and their family’s desire.
The following are costs you should plan for if you are considering going to the US:
Flight ticket: ± R32 000 (Refundable in US and ranging from R 28 000 – R 35 000)
Visa application: ± R 4 018 ($205 – and depends on exchange rate. Refundable)
Travel insurance: ± R14 000 (Depending on age and period. Insurance outside work injury for the full term of your employment season in the US)
TOTAL: ± R46 000
No! H2A legislation stipulates that you pay NO agent fees to any agent.
H2A legislation stipulates that travel expenses up to the employer, as well as your visa costs, must be repaid by the employer in the United States.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult for ladies to find work on the crop farms that we recruit workers for in the US. In our 15 years in the industry, we have only placed ladies on farms with high exception.
As employers must provide separate accommodation for women, they prefer to hire men instead. Because ladies compete against men when it comes to hard physical work, it is understandable that employers prefer men instead.
There are a few unique and alternative options for ladies, but no guarantees as applicants’ total profile is considered and it remains the employer that chooses the employees.
Although we would like to assist friends with working together on a farm, it is difficult to guarantee. The choice and number of workers ultimately is that of the employer.
We receive two to three times more applications each year than we have positions available. The competition is therefore strong. Restricting yourself to positions that fit both you and your friend’s skills, can lessen the options of both applicants.
You are welcome to inform us about this request and we will keep that in mind when making recommendations.
If a farmer is interested in you, he will either contact you directly or CVPlacements will contact you with his telephone number, job description and more information.
Call the employer for a personal interview from 16:00 (SA time) to around 24:00 (SA time).
Keep the following in mind:
Call until you find the potential employer; don’t give up after one or two tries!
Introduce: Introduce yourself and mention that CVPlacements, your agent in South Africa, asked you to call.
Ask if it’s a good and suitable time to call him.
Employer’s questions to you: Firstly, give the employer the opportunity to ask questions. Provide information about experience and skills in a short and concise way. Don’t be too modest about yourself.
Questions: If you are sure that the employer does not have any further questions, you can enquire about the working conditions, type of farming that he expects you to assist with, when he would like to have you start, how many workers he/she will be employing, what the compensation is, what type of accommodation they provide, etc.
Good impression: Remember, there are usually more than one applicant that is considered and invited for an interview. Try to create a good impression. Under no circumstances are you to start off by arguing about wages/compensation.
CVPlacements will contact you immediately if there is an employer interested in you. If after the interview you hear nothing from us, the employer has either not made his decision, or no job offer has been extended to you.
The H2A temporary agricultural visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows foreign nationals to enter the US to carry out agricultural work/services on a temporary or seasonal basis. This visa is valid for a maximum period of 10 months.
To enable you to obtain an H2A visa, your employer must obtain a work permit. The work permit is taken out every year for that specific season, and usually takes three to four months before it has been finalized.
What are the visa requirements?
You can only apply for your visa once your work permit is ready.
It is the responsibility of USA Farm Labor to assist employers with their permits, and CVPlacements has NO control over the process or the time it takes.
Once the employer has completed the necessary documentation at USA Farm Labor, the DOL (Department of Labor) and the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) process the permit. During this process, NO one else but the DOL and USCIS, has control over the permit. They are state institutions, and their processes cannot be expedited or influenced. The approval usually takes three to four months from the time that the employer completed all the necessary documents.
CVPlacements’ responsibility (in other words, the process of getting your visa) starts only once we receive the IOE number. This is the indication that the petition (documents for your consulate agreement) is on its way.
You apply for your H2A visa on the U.S. Department of State’s website by completing the so-called DS160 form. Once CVPlacements has received the IOE number, we will send you an email with this number – to be added to your DS160.
Unfortunately, it is not possible for CVPlacements to complete all employees’ DS160 forms on their behalf. However, we give you a step-by-step explanation to guide you through the process and make it as easy as possible for you.
H2A legislation in the US states that you must be paid per hour. You must at least be paid the minimum wage per hour of the state in which you work.
The Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR), indicating these minimum wages per hour can be found on the map on the right.
No. If you work overtime, the compensation is not paid 1 ½ times, but only the normal rate per hour.
An employer must guarantee work and/or pay to the worker for at least three-quarters of the working hours offered in the contract.
If the Department of Labor determines that an employer has unfairly terminated the contract, the three-quarter rule will apply. The three-quarter rule also applies to a natural disaster (“act of God”) which may cause the worker to not complete the contract.
However, the three-quarter rule does not apply to workers who terminate their contract early or who have been fired for a legitimate reason.
Yes. The wages you earn in the US are subject to US federal income tax. Depending on the state in which you work, you can also pay State Tax.
Also note information about the “Substantial Presence Test” – You will be considered a United States resident for tax purposes if you meet the substantial presence test for the calendar year.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/substantial-presence-test
For more information please contact:
The only short-term extension of a worker’s visa is for a maximum period of two weeks. The request must be submitted by the employer to the USCIS.
The extension, if approved, is only for the same position and work that a worker has already done for the same employer.
The rules allow that, if an extension is requested, the worker continues working with the employer, even if the grant request has not yet been approved. This is the only situation where a worker may continue to work even though the employer is still waiting for the approval of the extension. This process is something totally different from a rollover situation.
A worker may potentially stay in the US for 36 months, moving from one contract to another.
After three years, the worker must return to SA and spend a minimum of three months in the country before applying for an H2A visa again.
The US immigration authorities allow an H2A worker to bring his family to the US. Each family member must apply to the US Consulate in South Africa for an H-4 visa. A person on an H-4 visa is not allowed to work.
However, most employers do not allow you to take your family along as he then must provide you with special housing/accommodation.
The Wilberforce document explains your rights in the US. Read it carefully before your consulate appointment – the consulate may ask you about this. Click here (Wilberforce) for the document.
No, but it is highly recommended. Travel insurance is VERY IMPORTANT to ensure that you do not end up in a financial predicament because of a lack of medical coverage. The basic cover is only applicable to after hours; more comprehensive packages are also available. Injuries while on duty are covered by workman’s compensation.
The following suggested list of documents is a good guideline of what to carry with you:
CVPlacements has been using Leoni Visser (Global Explore) as our trusted travel agent for years.
She goes out of her way to match any other travel agency’s fee. Her service facilitates the ultimate flight co-ordination, as well as many people who may need to fly together and must be picked up by the employer at the US airport.
We request a quote for your flight by email. You are included in all flight correspondence so that you are always up to date.
Send a copy of your passport to Leoni Visser (from Global Explore) so that she can keep the quote longer.
Quotation (s) are provided to the employer so that he approves it (after all, he has to pay the travel costs on completion of your contract).
Once the ticket has been approved by your employer, we will notify you and contact you for the Flight Centre to complete the payment and to discuss your ticket.
The I-94 form is an “Arrival / Departure Record” issued to all non-immigrant US visitors.
Usually, all these visitors received this form upon their arrival, but the CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) has changed it so that an electronic format is created automatically and not given physically to the visitor. However, an I-94 in paper format can be accessed by going to the CBP website and printing one.
We strongly recommend that all H2A workers get this form in paper format by following these steps:
Go to i94.cbp.dhs.gov
Confirm that the following information is correct:
If there are any errors, contact the CBP as soon as possible.
If all is correct, print out the form (we recommend printing more than one copy of the form).
Then take your I-94 with you if you apply for your license or social security card.
A regular electronic transfer from the US can be done. Various apps are available – check the cost involved and read some reviews to get feedback from users.
Options are available here:
Within the first month of your arrival, you are to apply for a Social Security number. Your employer can also help you with this. Learn more.
Take a copy of your “I-94” when you apply for your Social Security.
Tandem – Vaste bak vragmotor
Separator – Drom by stroper
Grain elevator – Graan silo
Bin – Sink silo op plaas
Zip code – Area kode
Road fuel – Diesel (vragmotors en bakkies)
Farm fuel – Brandstof vir stropers ea
Shuttle – Minibus
Milo – Graan sorghum
Hash Browns – Gerasperde aartappels
Horse – Semi sonder sleepwa
Hopper bottom – Semi sleepwa wat gebruik word om graan te ry
Build a fire – Skakel Semi aan dat hy kan warm word
Sleeper – Karavaan
Dueli – Bakkie met dubbel agterwiele
Section – Deel van lem op stroper se mes
Sickle – Lemmetjie op stroper se mes
Gas – Petrol
Zirt – Ghries nipple
Zee – z
Dry country – Area waar geen alkohol gedrink mag word
Cover alls – Oorpak
Weeds/geisha – Onkruid
Blinkers – Flikkerlig
Pop – Bottel koeldrank
Link – Dun worsie
Sausage – Hamburger patty
Torch – Gastoestel
If for any reason you have a conflict of interest or a dispute with your employer, the procedure is as follows:
Always clear out the issue with the employer directly.
Be clear about what is bothering you, do not get personal. Stick to the facts and communicate calmly and positively.
Keep record of talks with your employer as prove of your attempts to make it work between you.
Note times, dates, witnesses and even take a photo or video if needed.
If the issue is of such a nature that it cannot be resolved among you and the employer, call us to assist you in finding a solution to help resolve the issue.
Keep in contact with CVPlacements so that we are aware of your circumstances and progress in attending to challenges.
If the issue is of such a nature that it cannot be resolved among you and your employer, and you feel that you need to involve our agency in the United States, USA Farm Labor, to intervene and help resolve the issue: leave a message in English at the USAFARMLABOR voicemail if after hours/there is no reply.
Call USA Farm Labor at 828-246-0659. Ask to talk to your state’s Worker Placement Coordinator.
Under no circumstances should you book a flight and return to South Africa before reaching a dispute resolution.
Do not make decisions while you are emotional or upset. Those decisions are usually the ones you might end up regretting later.
Please do not drag your parents or family into these problems before consulting with CVPlacements or USA Farm Labor– this only causes unnecessary worries, while the matter might be clarified easily.
Send us an email to cvplacements1@gmail.com – we are eager to help.