Overview
Overview -
(1) Application filing process.
(i) This subpart provides guidance to employers desiring to apply for a labor certification for the employment of H-2A workers to perform agricultural employment of a temporary or seasonal nature. The regulations in this subpart provide that such employers must file with the Administrator, OFLC an H-2A application on forms prescribed by the ETA that describe the material terms and conditions of employment to be offered and afforded to U.S. and H-2A workers. The application must be filed with the Administrator, OFLC at least 45 calendar days before the first date the employer requires the services of the H-2A workers. The application must contain attestations of the employer's compliance or promise to comply with program requirements regarding recruitment of eligible U.S. workers, the payment of an appropriate wage, and terms and conditions of employment.
(ii) No more than 75 and no fewer than 60 calendar days before the first date the employer requires the services of the H-2A workers, and as a precursor to the filing of an Application for Temporary Employment Certification, the employer must initiate positive recruitment of eligible U.S. workers and cooperate with the local office of the State Workforce Agency (SWA) which serves the area of intended employment to place a job order into intrastate and interstate recruitment. Prior to commencing recruitment an employer must obtain the appropriate wage for the position directly from the ETA National Processing Center (NPC). The employer must then place a job order with the SWA; place print advertisements meeting the requirements of this regulation; contact former U.S. employees; and, when so designated by the Secretary, recruit in other States of traditional or expected labor supply with a significant number of U.S. workers who, if recruited, would be willing to make themselves available at the time and place needed. The SWA will post the job order locally, as well as in all States listed in the application as anticipated work sites, and in any additional States designated by the Secretary as States of traditional or expected labor supply. The SWA will keep the job order open until the end of the designated recruitment period. No more than 50 days prior to the first date the employer requires the services of the H-2A workers, the employer will prepare and sign an initial written recruitment report that it must submit with its Application for Temporary Employment Certification (www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov). The recruitment report must contain information regarding the original number of openings for which the employer recruited. The employer's obligation to engage in positive recruitment will end on the actual date on which the H-2A workers depart for the place of work, or 3 days prior to the first date the employer requires the services of the H-2A workers, whichever occurs first.
(iii) The Application for Temporary Employment Certification must be filed by mail unless the Department publishes a Notice in the Federal Register requiring that applications be filed electronically. Applications that meet threshold requirements for completeness and accuracy will be processed by NPC staff, who will review each application for compliance with the criteria for certification. Each application must meet requirements for timeliness and temporary need and must provide assurances and other safeguards against adverse impact on the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers. Employers receiving a labor certification must continue to cooperate with the SWA by accepting referrals - and have the obligation to hire qualified and eligible U.S. workers who apply - until the end of the designated recruitment period.
(2) Deficient applications. The CO will promptly review the application and notify the applicant in writing if there are deficiencies that render the application not acceptable for certification, and afford the applicant a 5 calendar day period (from date of the employer's receipt) to resubmit a modified application or to file an appeal of the CO's decision not to approve the application as acceptable for consideration. Modified applications that fail to cure deficiencies will be denied.
(3) Amendment of applications. This subpart provides for the amendment of applications. Where the recruitment is not materially affected by such amendments, additional positive recruitment will not be required.
(4) Determinations -
(i) Determinations. If the employer has complied with the criteria for certification, including recruitment of eligible U.S. workers, the CO must make a determination on the application by 30 days before the first date the employer requires the services of the H-2A workers. An employer's failure to comply with any of the certification criteria or to cure deficiencies identified by the CO may lengthen the time required for processing, resulting in a final determination less than 30 days prior to the stated date of need.
(ii) Certified applications. This subpart provides that an application for temporary agricultural labor certification will be certified if the CO finds that the employer has not offered and does not intend to offer foreign workers higher wages, better working conditions, or fewer restrictions than those offered and afforded to U.S. workers; that sufficient U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, and eligible will not be available at the time and place needed to perform the work for which H-2A workers are being requested; and that the employment of such nonimmigrants will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.
(iii) Fees -
(A) Amount. This subpart provides that each employer (except joint employer associations) of H-2A workers will pay the appropriate fees to the Department for each temporary agricultural labor certification received.
(B) Timeliness of payment. The fee must be received by the CO no later than 30 calendar days after the granting of each temporary agricultural labor certification. Fees received any later are untimely. A persistent or prolonged failure to pay fees in a timely manner is a substantial program violation which may result in the denial of future temporary agricultural labor certifications and/or program debarment.
(iv) Denied applications. This subpart provides that if the application for temporary agricultural labor certification is denied, in whole or in part, the employer may seek expedited review of the denial, or a de novo hearing, by an administrative law judge as provided in this subpart.
(b) Transition of filing procedures from current regulations -
(1) Compliance with these regulations. Employers with a date of need for H-2A workers for temporary or seasonal agricultural services on or after January 1, 2010 must comply with all of the obligations and assurances required in this subpart.
(2) Transition from former regulations. Employers with a date of need for H-2A workers for temporary or seasonal agricultural services prior to January 1, 2010 will file applications in the following manner:
(i) Obtaining required wage rate. An employer will not obtain an offered wage rate through the NPC prior to filing an application, but will complete and submit Form ETA-9142, Application for Temporary Employment Certification no less than 45 days prior to their date of need. The employer will simultaneously submit Form ETA-790 Agricultural and Food Processing Clearance Order, along with the Application for Temporary Employment Certification, directly to the NPC having jurisdiction over H-2A applications.
(ii) Pre-filing activities. Activities required to be conducted prior to filing under the final rule will be conducted post-filing during this transition period. The employer will be expected to make attestations in its application applicable to its future activities concerning recruitment, payment of the offered wage rate, etc. Employers will not be required to complete an initial recruitment report for submission with the application, but will be required to complete a recruitment report for submission to the NPC prior to certification, and will also be required to complete a final recruitment report covering the entire recruitment period.
(iii) Acceptance of application. Upon receipt, the NPC will provide the employer with the wage rate to be offered, at a minimum, by the employer, and will process the application in a manner consistent with new § 655.107, issuing a notification of deficiencies for any curable deficiencies within 7 calendar days.
(iv) Processing of application. Once the application and job order have been accepted, the NPC will transmit a copy of the job order to the SWA(s) serving the area of intended employment to initiate intrastate and interstate clearance, request that the SWA(s) schedule an inspection of the housing, and provide instructions to the employer to commence positive recruitment in a manner consistent with § 655.102(d)(2) through (4). The NPC will designate labor supply States during this period on a case-by-case basis. Such designations must be based on information provided by State agencies or by other sources, and will to the extent information is available take into account the success of recent efforts by out-of-State employers to recruit in that State.
(c) Definitions of terms used in this subpart. For the purposes of this subpart: