H.R. 9535 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on the Judiciary, Jun 30, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands agricultural worker visa program year-round
The H-2A visa program lets employers bring foreign workers to fill agricultural jobs. Right now, those jobs have to be seasonal or temporary, but this bill removes that limit so workers can do agricultural work year-round. It also expands what counts as agricultural work to include reforestation, aquaculture, and livestock work. The bill creates online systems for employers to submit job offers and worker information, and it sets up a way for some unauthorized workers already in agriculture to get H-2A visas if they meet other requirements.
How it affects you
This directly affects agricultural employers who need workers and the foreign workers they want to hire. Employers get easier ways to recruit and process workers through new online platforms. Workers gain the possibility of longer-term agricultural jobs and new types of farm work they can do on an H-2A visa. The bill doesn't change what most people in other industries experience day to day.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jun 30, 2026)
Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026
This bill expands the H-2A agricultural visa program; creates online platforms for H-2A employers, workers, and agencies; and codifies certain wage calculations.
Under current law, workers on H-2A visas are only allowed to perform agricultural work of a seasonal or temporary nature. Under the bill, the seasonal work requirement is removed, thus allowing H-2A workers to qualify for agricultural work that occurs year-round. The bill also expands the type of agricultural work that qualifies, including reforestation, aquaculture, and livestock work. The Department of Agriculture must issue rules to define agricultural labor or services for purposes of the H-2A program.
The bill also establishes an H-2A visa pathway for current unauthorized agricultural workers who otherwise meet requirements.
The Department of Labor must maintain a national, publicly accessible online job registry and database of all job offers submitted by employers seeking a labor certification required to employ H-2A workers. The Department of Homeland Security must establish an online platform for employers to submit information and documentation for review by federal agencies in the course of admitting H-2A workers.
The H-2A program requires employers to provide workers with wage rates at or above those set in regulations and such wages must not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers similarly employed in the United States. The bill codifies the current calculation method for the adverse effect wage rate as set in regulation.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionH. R. 9535
A BILL
Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026
Sponsor: Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15) · Introduced Jun 30, 2026 · Immigration · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 30, 2026: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.”