Trump Admin Eases Visa Rules for Immigrant Workers in Dairy Industry

The Trump administration moved Wednesday to expand access to the H-2A visa program for dairy producers, easing a long-standing restriction that had largely shut the industry out of the foreign farmworker system.

The change, outlined in a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policy memorandum, allows dairy employers to seek temporary agricultural workers under the H-2A program if they can demonstrate a seasonal or otherwise limited labor need.

The H-2A visa program permits U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for agricultural jobs when domestic labor is unavailable, but historically has required that the work be temporary or seasonal. Dairy operations, which typically require year-round labor, have often struggled to qualify under that standard.

“This guidance helps ensure that petitioners filing H-2A petitions on behalf of dairies are held to the same legal standards with respect to temporariness and seasonality as all other H-2A petitioners,” the memorandum reads.

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The new guidance clarifies that dairying is an agricultural activity eligible for consideration under the program and instructs immigration officials to evaluate petitions on a case-by-case basis based on an employer's demonstrated need, rather than excluding the industry outright.

Federal officials said the change does not create a new visa category or alter statutory requirements, but instead provides additional direction on how existing law should be applied to dairy-related work. Employers must still show that their need for workers is limited in duration and that they meet all other H-2A requirements, including efforts to recruit U.S. workers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) welcomed the move, saying it provides dairy operators with greater certainty about how they may access the program while maintaining existing labor protections. In a statement, the department said dairy businesses would be subject to the same rules as other H-2A employers and that applications would continue to be reviewed individually.

“For many dairy farmers, labor availability remains a significant challenge. The clarification provides additional certainty regarding the circumstances under which dairy operations may access the H-2A program while maintaining existing protections for U.S. workers and ensuring compliance with applicable federal law,” the department said.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.

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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 11:54 AM.