Alliant Federation H-2A and H-2B labor market in South Dakota
Week of Nov 1 – Nov 7, 2026, from the Employer Market Pulse report · See the full report
South Dakota had 86 new H-2A positions and 43 new H-2B positions in 15 new job orders with a Notice of Acceptance from the U.S. Department of Labor.
New positions in the week
- H-2A (agricultural)
- 86
- in 13 new job orders
- Ranked 19th of 42 states with new H-2A positions
- 1% of new H-2A positions in the country
- Up 78 positions from the week before (8 positions)
- H-2B (non-agricultural)
- 43
- in 2 new job orders
- Ranked 7th of 22 states with new H-2B positions
- 4% of new H-2B positions in the country
- Up 43 positions from the week before (0 positions)
Average wage offered (low–high)
- H-2A (agricultural) · an hour
- In South Dakota$16.84Across the country$15.11
- H-2B (non-agricultural) · an hour
- In South Dakota$23.27Across the country$16.99–$20.78
Wages are averages of the low and high wage in each new job order, shown as an hourly equivalent we calculate: wages stated by the week, month, or year are converted using the hours each job order lists.
Most-mentioned H-2A crops and livestock
Number of new job orders that mention each one. A job order can mention more than one, so these numbers should not be added together.
- Cattle and dairy3 job orders
- Corn, soybeans, wheat and other grains1 job order
Top H-2B job types
New positions by job title.
- Construction Laborer41 positions
- Carpenter2 positions
New positions by week
| Week | New positions | Job orders |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1 – 7 | 129 | 15 |
| Oct 25 – 31 | 8 | 4 |
| Oct 18 – 24 | 98 | 19 |
| Oct 11 – 17 | 31 | 12 |
| Oct 4 – 10 | 49 | 26 |
| Sep 27 – Oct 3 | 39 | 14 |
| Sep 20 – 26 | 114 | 27 |
| Sep 13 – 19 | 107 | 11 |
Occupations with the most positions
Among the active job orders in this state.
- Construction laborers65 positions
- Farm and ranch animal workers50 positions
- Helpers--Electricians39 positions
- Crop, nursery and greenhouse workers36 positions
- Sheet Metal Workers25 positions
Get the South Dakota figures in your inbox every Monday
The free weekly Market Pulse report brings these figures for up to five states you choose, plus the national summary. Unsubscribe with one click.
Other states
States with recent H-2 activity, from the most new positions in the last four weeks to the fewest.
- Florida4,754 positions
- Texas3,448 positions
- Louisiana2,723 positions
- Arizona1,303 positions
- California1,277 positions
- South Carolina1,173 positions
- North Carolina1,140 positions
- Michigan1,114 positions
- Oregon1,113 positions
- Georgia975 positions
- Tennessee737 positions
- Alabama717 positions
- Colorado579 positions
- Mississippi550 positions
- Indiana472 positions
- Washington433 positions
- Arkansas338 positions
- Missouri317 positions
- Ohio310 positions
- Idaho291 positions
- Utah283 positions
- Pennsylvania282 positions
- Oklahoma256 positions
- Kentucky234 positions
- North Dakota229 positions
- New York229 positions
- Montana225 positions
- Minnesota199 positions
- Kansas192 positions
- Nebraska190 positions
- Illinois165 positions
- New Mexico147 positions
- Virginia145 positions
- Iowa117 positions
- Hawaii100 positions
- Wyoming97 positions
- Wisconsin97 positions
- New Hampshire70 positions
- MP40 positions
- New Jersey40 positions
- Maryland35 positions
- Alaska33 positions
- Vermont26 positions
Where these figures come from
We count the H-2A and H-2B job orders that received a Notice of Acceptance from the U.S. Department of Labor in each week (Sunday to Saturday, Eastern Time). The notice is a step in the employer’s process. It is not a labor certification and does not guarantee a visa. A position is a job for one worker; a job order is one employer request and can include many positions.