Ganaz Introduces A New Kind of H-2A Program
Improving the H-2A Experience for both Growers and Workers
Seattle, WA — October 3, 2023 — The agricultural industry has witnessed a significant surge of interest in the H-2A program, with the number of visas issued nearly doubling to 300,000 between 2017 and 2022. The program is complex and expensive, and employers are looking for a better ROI from their H-2A investment. In response, Ganaz proudly unveils its comprehensive H-2A program, an innovative solution designed to transform the recruitment and management of foreign agricultural workers, benefiting both employers and workers alike.
Ganaz is a People Platform built for agriculture that offers digital onboarding, communications, payroll cards, and now a tech-powered, mission-driven H-2A program. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Ganaz is dedicated to leveraging technology to foster well-being and prosperity for industry, workers, and their communities. The H-2A program, when executed effectively, supplies employers with a dependable workforce and unlocks socio-economic transformation within communities.
Without effective and transparent recruitment, however, employers may end up with workers who are a poor fit for agricultural work or are unmotivated to do more than the bare minimum, especially as the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, the minimum wage employers are required to pay H-2A workers, continues to rise. This leaves employers saddled with the expense of either finding replacement workers or shelling out thousands of dollars a week in minimum wage make-up expenses. Transparency in recruiting also benefits workers, who too often may be asked to pay illegal fees to secure these coveted jobs. In one investigation, 58% of H2 workers reported paying an illegal recruitment fee.
Ganaz’s H-2A platform allows employers to search, sort, and select workers who have been rigorously vetted based on their skills, experience, motivation, emotional intelligence, and mental health. Ganaz also conducts extensive training before workers cross the border.
“We loved the milestone tracker, it was helpful to refer back to during such a busy time of year.”
Tiffany Davis, Business Manager at K&K Orchard Management, shared her experience. "This first [H-2A] contract we did with Ganaz was the smoothest contract we've ever had. We loved the milestone tracker, it was helpful to refer back to during such a busy time of year. Having Ganaz conduct worker training and issue the Payroll Card in Mexico was a huge help–it saved us a lot of time. It was a really solid process from A to Z.”
Three Pillars of Ganaz's H-2A Program
End-to-End Visibility: Providing peace of mind that employers' filings and employees’ arrival are on track, workers have been rigorously vetted, and ethical recruitment practices are in place at every step along the way.
Ready to Work: Ganaz-recruited workers are more prepared thanks to comprehensive training in Mexico, and we save growers time by completing their onboarding paperwork, presenting training content, and issuing payroll cards in Mexico.
Extended Support: Ganaz empowers employers with integrated tools to access data and records and communicate with their H-2A workforce throughout the year.
“Our comprehensive H-2A program is a key component in our pursuit of an end-to-end people platform for agriculture. The H-2A program is growing fast and is so complex; it creates a perfect environment for disruptive innovation. Our team is here for the mission–to make life better for workers and growers, and H-2A is such a tangible way for us to put our commitment to excellence and our values to work,” said Ganaz Co-Founder and CEO, Hannah Freeman.
About Ganaz
Founded in 2017, Ganaz is a People Management Platform for agriculture and food processing. Ganaz offers digital onboarding, communications, payroll cards, and H-2A software and services. Ganaz also integrates with the leading timekeeping and payroll software systems, including Hectre, HeavyConnect, Pago, Fieldclock, Datatech, Famous, UKG, Paycom, and many more.