Migrant workers are individuals who migrate within their home country or outside it to pursue work. They usually do not have the intention to stay permanently in the country or region in which they work. Migrant workers who work outside their home country are also called foreign workers. In the United States, migrant workers are often employed in the agricultural industry, working temporarily or seasonally in farm fields, orchards, canneries, plant nurseries, fish/seafood packing plants, and more.
Migrant farmworkers are also called migratory agricultural workers or mobile workers. Seasonal farmworkers are individuals who are employed in temporary farmwork but do not move from their permanent residence to seek farmwork; they may also have other sources of employment. According to the most recent report of the Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey, foreign-born workers make up 68% of the agricultural workforce in the United States, and approximately 36% lack authorized work status under current U.S. laws.
Migrant workers, including those who are undocumented, play a critical role in the agriculture industry, making up an estimated 73% of agriculture workers in the United States. However, they often face poor working conditions and low wages, and their rights and those of their families must be improved. The International Labour Organization estimated in 2019 that there were 169 million international migrants worldwide.
