On 2/6/08 DHS announced proposed changes to regulations affecting H-2A temporary and seasonal agricultural workers. In sum, the proposed amendments would:

• Revise limitations on agricultural workers' length of stay
• Relax limitations on employers to petition unnamed agricultural workers
• Provide temporary employment authorization to agricultural workers seeking extension of status through a different employer
• Modify the notification and payment requirements for employers if the foreign national does not show up at the start of the employment period
• Require certain employer attestations
• Preclude the imposition of fees by employers or recruiters on prospective beneficiaries
• Preclude consideration of certain temporary labor certification denials
• Bar H-2A status for nationals of countries that unreasonably deny repatriation
• Establish a pilot program under which foreign nationals admitted on certain temporary worker visas at a port of entry participating in the program, depart through a port of entry participating in the program