H-2A Jobs in California (FY2026): Employers & Wages
In FY2026 (through Q2), the Department of Labor certified 23,506 H-2A positions for worksites in California — #4 among all states — across 593 employer applications. The median offered wage was $16.9/hour (middle half of offers: $16.9–$18.71).
Hiring season
69% of certified positions in California start in March, April or January, and a typical season runs about 7.5 months. Employers file with the DOL a median of 52 days before the start date — so openings for a March start typically show up on SeasonalJobs.dol.gov around January.
Top H-2A employers in California
| Employer | Worksite city | Positions | Median wage | Main occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Harvest, Inc. | Mecca | 2,668 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Elkhorn Packing Co. LLC | Salinas | 1,324 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Peri & Sons Farms of California, LLC | Firebaugh | 1,255 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Foothill Packing, Inc. SA-9 | Salinas | 861 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| St. Romo Labor Force, LLC | Salinas | 707 | $18.71/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Alco Harvesting, LLC | Santa Maria | 619 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Royal Oak Ag Services, Inc. | Santa Maria | 616 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Jacco Farms, Inc. | Salinas | 468 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| SARC, Inc | Santa Maria | 464 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Mendoza Bros. Harvesting | Rutherford | 456 | $18.71/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Rancho Nuevo Harvesting, Inc. | Lompoc | 449 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Ag Plus Labor, LLC | Buelton | 431 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| A. Oseguera Company, Inc. | Betteravia | 429 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Foothill Packing, Inc. SA-8 | San Juan Bautista | 393 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Tanimura & Antle Fresh Foods, Inc. | Hollister | 390 | $17.64/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Pacifica Personnel, Inc. | Capinteria | 385 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| D&J Packing, LLC | Salinas | 362 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| M Farms, L.L.C. | Los Banos | 340 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| MCF4 Solutions, LLC | Ukiah | 280 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| AG EMPLEO LLC | Oxnard | 276 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| FMG Farm Contractor Inc (2026.1) | Salinas | 247 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| La Alianza, LP | San Luis Obispo | 224 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Sierra Cascade Nursery, Inc. | Tulelake | 223 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| Magana Labor Services, Inc. | Temecula | 222 | $16.9/hr | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse |
| The Growers Company, Inc. (2026.2) | Soledad | 221 | $16.9/hr | Agricultural Equipment Operators |
What the jobs are
| Occupation | Positions |
|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 21,563 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | 1,017 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 616 |
| Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | 122 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 87 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 50 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | 15 |
| Agricultural Equipment Driver | 10 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 7 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operator | 6 |
Where: Salinas (6,604) · Santa Maria (2,137) · Holtville (861) · Hollister (848) · Soledad (684) · Firebaugh (634) · Oxnard (553) · Camarillo (497).
How people get these jobs
The H-2A visa lets U.S. employers hire foreign workers for temporary agricultural work — planting, harvesting, packing, nursery and greenhouse work, livestock and dairy. The employer, not the worker, starts the process: they must first offer the job to U.S. workers, get the Department of Labor certification shown on this page, and then petition USCIS for the visas.
Every certified opening must be posted publicly on the DOL's official registry, SeasonalJobs.dol.gov — that is the place to search and apply for current openings. Beware of anyone charging workers "visa fees": recruitment fees charged to H-2A workers are illegal.
More California numbers
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