The US will lift travel restrictions for in-demand South African workers

The US State Department says that it will make exceptions to its recent travel ban on high-risk Covid countries like South Africa, for workers who meet critical skill requirements for the country’s agriculture sector. Specifically, the exemption will be made for those taking part in the H-2 visa program, which the department said is essential to the US economy and food security.

The H-2 visas permit US employers to hire foreign workers to come to the United States temporarily and perform agricultural or non-agricultural services due to an expected shortage of domestic labour.

Officials said, therefore , we intend to continue processing H-2 applications for individuals who provide temporary labour or services essential to the United States food supply chain, as permitted by post resources and local government restrictions.

The department specifically mentioned needing farm workers with skills such as:

Seafood processors

Fish cutters

Salmon roe technicians

Farm equipment mechanics

Farm labourers

and others

The Department said that applicants who are applying for a visa will be considered for an exception at the time of interview.

While a number of temporary jobs are available through the visa program, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) said that it specifically sent a letter to Secretary of State and Homeland Security requesting an exemption for South African farm labour.

AFBF president Zippy Duvall said, We appreciate the swift action by the State Department to address a critical need for American agriculture. Farmworkers from South Africa bring valuable and unique skills to the farms on which they are employed. America’s farmers rely on the H-2A program to provide a robust workforce and we are committed to ensuring their safety while continuing to provide healthy, affordable food for families across the country.