The Trump Organization has submitted a request to hire 36 temporary foreign workers for its Virginia winery at a rate of $13.90 per hour. This wage is nearly $2 less than what the property paid for similar work in 2025, according to Labor Department records reviewed recently.
The request, made through the H-2A agricultural guest-worker program, aims to bring in workers from February to October 2026. According to Forbes, the application states that the business could not find enough U.S. workers and hiring foreign labor would not reduce domestic wages or working conditions, which is a standard requirement for the program.
The $13.90 hourly rate is $1.91 lower than what the winery paid in 2025 and below what it has offered for similar roles since 2021, according to federal records cited by Forbes.
This filing occurred just weeks after the Department of Labor put in place a new rule that changed how the minimum wage is calculated for many H-2A jobs. The rule, which took effect on October 2, 2025, revised how the “adverse effect wage rate” is set. This is the minimum that employers must pay for most H-2A jobs in non-range occupations.
Critics, including the United Farm Workers and various U.S. farmworkers, sued in late November to challenge the new rule. They argue it will lower wages for both H-2A and U.S. farmworkers. The administration has defended the rule as a necessary response to labor shortages and a way to cut costs for growers.
The Trump Organization’s winery request comes as President Donald Trump ramps up immigration enforcement during his second term. This includes increased ICE operations in several areas. The administration claims that stricter enforcement is needed to discourage illegal immigration and protect U.S. workers, while also indicating that some industries depend heavily on seasonal labor.
Trump applied for 566 foreign workers to staff his clubs and vineyard.
Are these the jobs that require talent that Americans don’t have? pic.twitter.com/gH5wD82ahi
— Turnbull (@cturnbull1968) November 13, 2025
Trump has usually refrained from directly criticizing agriculture’s reliance on foreign seasonal labor. However, he often asserts in political settings that foreign workers can take jobs from Americans and lower wages. Reports about the winery’s new application highlighted the company’s ongoing use of guest-worker programs, even as the White House pushes for tougher immigration policies.
Forbes noted that, based on Labor Department records available online, the Trump Organization has sought to bring at least 2,069 foreign workers to the U.S. since 2008, which is the earliest year with records that can be easily searched in the federal database.
This latest filing also comes as the administration has focused on other visa programs, including H-1B, which is intended for specialty occupations such as engineering and accounting. In September 2025, Trump signed a proclamation requiring a $100,000 payment tied to certain new H-1B petitions. The White House stated this change would not affect existing holders.
The Trump Organization’s Virginia winery utilizes the H-2A program, which is aimed at seasonal or temporary agricultural work. Employers in this program must provide housing and transportation under federal guidelines, and must pay at least the required wage.
