Hiring Foreign Workers

Employers in the US can hire foreign workers for temporary or seasonal jobs through the Department of Labor’s (DOL) H-2A and H-2B programs when there are no US workers available to do the work. Before hiring foreign workers, employers must get approval from several government agencies. As California’s State Workforce Agency, we review job orders submitted by employers and help recruit US workers.

Foreign Labor Certification

The DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification programs allow employers to hire foreign workers temporarily.

If an employer doesn’t have enough US workers, they can use one of these programs:

• H-2A: Temporary or seasonal agricultural workers
• H-2B: Temporary non-agricultural workers

We help the DOL run these programs in California.

Contact the EDD

You can contact us for more details about the H-2A and H-2B program:

H-2A Program Information

• Phone: 1-916-653-2813 or 1-916-654-9315
• Email: WSBCalh2a@edd.ca.gov

H-2B Program Information

• Phone: 1-916-653-3560 or 1-916-654-9315
• Email: WSBCalh2b@edd.ca.gov