Pacific Northwest Seasonal Farmworkers to Earn Less
Foreign seasonal workers on Pacific Northwest farms will soon earn lower hourly wages due to a policy change by the Trump administration.
The Department of Labor, under Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has altered the hourly wages for workers under the federal H-2A agricultural program.
- In Oregon, agricultural workers with H-2A visas will see their hourly wages decrease from $19.82 to as low as $15.25, a 23% reduction.
- More skilled positions will pay slightly more, at $17.62 per hour.
The H-2A program allows agricultural employers to hire temporary foreign farmworkers, mostly from Mexico, when they anticipate a domestic worker shortage.
As of this month, over 3,700 people have been certified to work in Oregon under the H-2A program in 2025, according to the DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification.
The program is less commonly used in Oregon compared to Washington and California.
No direct quote available in the text.
Author's summary: Trump administration policy change reduces hourly wages for foreign seasonal farmworkers.