H.R. 9535 — Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026

This section revises the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. It transfers petition approval authority from the Attorney General to the Secretary of Homeland Security and eliminates the processing fee for labor certifications. It requires the Secretary of Labor to issue certifications no later than 30 days before work begins if recruitment criteria are met, and it authorizes certifications valid for up to three years. It establishes housing standards, inspections valid for up to three years, and a maximum daily housing charge calculated by dividing the statewide average fair market rent for a four-bedroom unit by 240. It permits staggered worker entry and exit when start or end dates are no more than 180 days apart and allows petitions for subsequent employment beginning 90 days before the current period ends.

This section expands the definition of agricultural labor or services for H-2A visas to include agricultural labor under the Internal Revenue Code, handling and processing of commodities, pine straw gathering, reforestation, aquaculture, equine management and training, apple cider pressing, logging, horticulture installation, and meat and poultry slaughter. It defines temporary work as that performed under contracts of less than 350 days.

This section directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor, Agriculture, and State and the Administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency, to establish within one year of enactment an online platform as a single point of access for employers to submit all information required for H-2A labor certifications and petitions. The platform enables concurrent agency reviews, eliminates duplicate submissions and redundant processes, and allows employers to respond to notices, request appeals, pay fees, and track status.

This section requires the Comptroller General to submit a report within two years to the House and Senate committees on agriculture, judiciary, and education and labor on the availability and affordability of housing that meets section 218(c)(4) standards for H-2A workers, employer challenges in securing such housing, Department of Labor monitoring and enforcement actions, and the use of federal programs that assist employers with compliant housing.

This section delays the effective date of all amendments in the Act until one year after enactment. It also authorizes agencies to issue interim final rules implementing those amendments on the effective date.