Ag News

Labor Dept. resumes foreign labor certification processing

On Oct. 31, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it had resumed processing of employer requests for prevailing wages and labor certification determinations for temporary and permanent employment in the United States.

The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) called the action “critical to Georgia’s H-2A program users.

From the GFVGA:

“This development comes at a critical time for Georgia growers who are preparing for this season’s harvest as well as securing H-2A workers for spring of 2026. The reopening of the DOL’s application processing system will help prevent further costly delays, minimize potential labor shortages, and provide much-needed stability for farms across the state.”

The move, GFVGA noted, “supports Georgia agriculture and strengthens the broader food supply chain that depends on a reliable flow of farm labor.”

According to the DOL website, the Office of Foreign Labor Certification’s (OFLC) Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system is accessible and permits system users to prepare and submit new applications as well as submit and receive information associated with their applications pending a final determination. In addition, OFLC’s SeasonalJobs.dol.gov system, an online job registry of H-2A and H-2B temporary job opportunities, has been restored to full operational status.

The department indicated that the “OFLC is taking all steps necessary to resume application processing and will post additional announcements and other technical assistance notices for all stakeholders on this website, as appropriate.” Because of anticipated increases in requests for stakeholder assistance, some stakeholders may experience longer than normal processing and response times.

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