A covid 19 vaccine mandate by the department of homeland security will strictly limit the traveling of many H-2A seasonal guest employees this year. The policy took effect on January 22
The program permits agricultural managers to admit overseas employees into the country for labor, seasonally or temporarily.
All the non-us citizens seeking admittance into the country through ferry terminals land ports at their borders need to get the jab against covid 19 and have relevant evidence of the jabs.
The DHS mandate aims at reducing the cases of covid 19 in the U.S. by denying unvaccinated workers in the country. The country will report a reduced number of new cases.
The DHS mandate has many problems and limitations; this is according to Sarah black. She believes that the mandate focuses on periodic visas.
“Unlike previous COVID-related restrictions, this DHS requirement doesn’t provide exemptions for ‘essential workers,’ which traditionally included guest workers utilized on our farms and throughout the food chain that help get food to your table,” she said.
Black further commented that workers from various farms should arrive after two weeks.
Black concluded by saying that most of the workers might not have access to the approved list of the vaccines. Mexico is one of the countries that she named and noted that it is a country that most of the workers come.
“Unfortunately, the vaccines on the approved list are not readily available throughout Mexico,” she said.
The mandate will affect some farms that rely on foreign workers because some workers might not be vaccinated, or those vaccinated might lack the documents to prove it.
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