The demand for guest workers in the U.S. agriculture

Abstract

This article aims to examine why the demand for guest workers in the U.S. agricultural sector has increased in a context of economic crisis and high unemployment rates. A qualitative methodology was implemented. It included interviewing 60 Mexican migrant smugglers between 2008 and 2012. The migrants were hired by North American agricultural employers that demanded guests workers and undocumented workforce. The most important result of this research is that the guest workers demand appears to be subordinated to the availability of undocumented immigrants. Many employers hire guest workers, either because they do not have enough undocumented laborers or to justify the use of illegal labor.