H-2A Timeline: When to File for Your Season

Every H-2A deadline is counted back from one date: your date of need, the first day you need workers on the farm. Miss a step and your crew can arrive late, or not at all. Here is how a season comes together.

The H-2A calendar at a glance

When	What happens
About 4 months before your start date	Plan your dates, crew size, jobs, pay and housing
60 to 75 days before	Your job order goes to your state workforce agency
At least 45 days before	Your application goes to the Department of Labor (DOL)
About 30 days before	DOL makes its decision
After DOL approves	Petition filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
After USCIS approves	Workers apply for visas at the consulate
Right before your start date	Workers travel to your farm

Step by step

1. Plan (about 4 months out). Decide your start and end dates, how many workers you need, what they will do, and where they will live. If you used H-2A last season, start from that file.

2. Job order to your state (60 to 75 days out). The job order (Form ETA-790 and its addendum) lays out the work, pay, hours, housing and other terms. It goes to your state workforce agency no more than 75 and no fewer than 60 days before your date of need (20 CFR 655.121). The state posts the job so U.S. workers can apply first.

3. Application to DOL (at least 45 days out). The Application for Temporary Employment Certification (Form ETA-9142A) is filed in DOL's online system, FLAG, at least 45 days before your date of need (20 CFR 655.130). If DOL finds a problem, it sends a notice of deficiency, and you have 5 business days to fix it (20 CFR 655.141).

4. DOL decision (about 30 days out). When everything is in order, DOL aims to decide no later than 30 days before your date of need.

5. USCIS petition. With DOL's certification, a petition (Form I-129) goes to USCIS asking to bring in your workers.

6. Consulate and travel. Once USCIS approves, workers apply for visas, usually at a U.S. consulate in Mexico, and then travel to your farm.

What usually causes delays

Housing inspections. Your housing has to be inspected and approved before the season. Book the inspection early.
Missing details in the job order. Incomplete or inconsistent terms lead to deficiency notices.
Slow responses. A 5-business-day window goes fast in a busy week.
Consulate backlogs. Appointment availability changes, especially in spring.

How Battenkill Ag helps

We start your file about four months ahead, track every deadline from your date of need, and answer agency questions for you, so your crew arrives when the season starts. Request a quote or read how H-2A works.

Quick answers

How early should I start my H-2A application?

Start about four months before the day you need workers. The job order has to reach your state workforce agency 60 to 75 days before your start date, and you want time to plan before that.

What is the date of need?

It is the first day you need H-2A workers on your farm. Every H-2A deadline is counted back from that date.

Can I file late if I have an emergency?

DOL allows emergency filings in limited situations, such as a good cause reason for missing the normal deadlines. They are not guaranteed, so plan to file on the normal schedule.

Battenkill Ag is an H-2A agent, not a law firm. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the linked regulations or talk to an immigration attorney about your situation. Last reviewed October 13, 2026.