health | January 20, 2026

What percentage of farm workers are Mexican?

​Demographic Characteristics of Hired Farmworkers

ItemFarm laborers, graders and sortersAll U.S. private wage and salary workers
Percent Hispanic: Mexican origin5712
Percent Hispanic: Other77
Percent born in U.S. (includes Puerto Rico)4580
Percent U.S. citizens5490

How many employees does h2a have?

California has about 400,000 year-round equivalent jobs in crop agriculture. The 12,000 full-time equivalent H-2A workers filled about three percent of the state’s crop jobs in 2019.

How much do farmers pay migrant workers?

Today, migrant farm workers make, on average, just under $13 an hour, a rate that varies by region. By failing to conduct its traditional Agricultural Labor Survey, such workers could instead be paid just the minimum wage — in Georgia, Idaho, Iowa and other agricultural powerhouses, that’s as low as $7.25 an hour.

How much do illegal farm workers get paid in California?

In California, H-2A workers earn $14.77 an hour this year, or about $118.16 for an eight-hour day, one of the highest in the country for these workers.

Why do migrant farm workers get paid so little?

Job Security & Other Issues Other factors besides low wages also contribute to farm worker poverty. Many workers are day laborers, and migrant farm workers must chase crops to make a living. Farm workers are also constantly at the mercy of variable conditions like natural disasters and bad weather.

How long is a h2a visa good for?

3 years
Period of Stay H-2A classification may be extended for qualifying employment in increments of up to 1 year each. A new, valid temporary labor certification covering the requested time must accompany each extension request. The maximum period of stay in H-2A classification is 3 years.

Are farm workers paid well?

How much do farm workers earn? Based on the most recent National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS)– a report published by the U.S. Department of Labor– the average total income of farm workers is between $15,000 to $17,499 a year for individuals and $20,000 to $24,999 for a family.