This bill reforms the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program by streamlining employer processes and expanding worker flexibility. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to create an online portal within 18 months for employers to file petitions and post jobs, and establishes a six-year pilot program allowing returning H-2A workers to switch employers within their state without employer sponsorship. The bill increases the H-2A wage requirement to the state minimum wage plus $2 per hour, extends authorized admission periods to one year, and expands eligibility to include greenhouse and indoor farm workers. The pilot program will be capped at 10,000 "portable H-2A" workers at any time, with employers designated as "registered agricultural employers" required to maintain workers' compensation coverage. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to submit reports within one and two years assessing program integrity, employer reliance on H-2A workers, wage impacts, and worker protections, with ongoing biennial reports on worker safety and rights education mechanisms.
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