Perks and Sacrifices: A Look Inside a South African H2A Worker's Life in the US
- A South African man, Hendrik Botha, shared a viral video explaining the tough reality of working on H2A visas in America
- The H2A worker revealed in an exclusive interview that he chose to work abroad to gain financial stability for his wife and child
- According to the US Embassy, different visa programmes exist for South Africans wanting to work in America
Source: TikTok
A South African working in America opened up about the reality of life on an H2A visa, and his honest account left many people sending words of support as they related to the difficult conditions in the US.
Hendrik Botha shared a video on his TikTok page @hendrikbotha14 on the 31 of July. His clip went viral with over 1,000 reactions and 320 comments as he explained what farmers on H2A visas actually do.
In the video, Hendrik is shown with tools in his hands, working on a large piece of farm machinery. He explains that being a farm worker in America isn't just about sitting in a tractor all day. These workers have to do all the manual labour that comes with farming, from running the heavy machinery to handling every task that's needed.
What H2A visa life involves
In an exclusive interview with Briefly News, Botha was asked why he decided to work in the US as an H2A worker. He explained that his main reason was financial stability. He shared that the situation back home pushed him to look for better opportunities abroad, saying that South Africans are overworked and underpaid in their home country.
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The emotional cost of working so far from family is something Hendrik knows all too well. When asked about the challenges of working overseas, Botha spoke about the difficult reality many workers face: sacrificing time with loved ones and missing significant family moments, like birthdays and their children's milestones, all to build a brighter future for their families.
The hardworking husband and father explained that nothing is easy about working abroad when your family is in South Africa, and the only thing that keeps your mind busy is the work itself.
"It's not easy knowing your wife or child is sick but you can't be there for them," he told Briefly News.
Botha added that video calls help, but they can't replace the physical connection a person longs for. He stressed that despite all these sacrifices, South African H2A workers do it to support their families.
When discussing the American reception of H2A workers, Hendrik had positive things to say about his experience. He explained that American farm owners don't abuse South African H2A workers because they see them as hard-working people. He mentioned that they get along well with the farmers, noting that they're basically the same people with only a language difference.
The cultural differences between South Africa and America were quite surprising for Hendrik. He described how there's a huge variety of differences between the two countries, from music and sense of humour to way of living and food. He said it's something you have to get used to when going back to South Africa.
One of the biggest culture shocks was the safety differences. Botha shared that in America, they don't lock their houses when they go to bed or leave for work, and they don't lock their vehicles when shopping. He explained that you can leave all your personal belongings inside your house or vehicle and nothing will be touched or stolen. He mentioned having expensive equipment and tools on the back of pickup trucks that don't get stolen, and even leaving vehicles running with air conditioning on during hot days while shopping, only to return and find everything untouched.
According to Hendrik, Americans don't know what burglar bars or security windows are, and there are no fences or brick walls around houses.
Botha shared some benefits available to H2A workers, countering common assumptions about the programme. He revealed that every worker receives a fully furnished home, transport is provided free of charge, and their medical care is entirely covered by the farmer. Botha also noted that some farmers go the extra mile by providing WiFi in the homes, though this isn't a universal benefit.
Source: TikTok
Mzansi reacts to H2A visa insights
South Africans had mixed reactions to Hendrik's honest video about working abroad.
@andilendzwana responded:
"😄 Love you man 😘 Have a wonderful day and weekend, yho hayi!"
@khwezilami_makhwe asked:
"What is he saying exactly? Can someone explain to me?"
@henry_kruger commented:
"Dit is now harde werk 💪"
@giel_coetzee said:
"Respek vir jou."
@trisha gushed:
"Salute. Respect my brother 🥰🥰🥰"
@blondie wondered:
"Waarvoor staan H2A?"
All about the H2A visa programme
According to the US Embassy, South Africans can apply for different programmes to work in America. The refugee programme helps Afrikaners and racial minorities who face persecution, but this is completely different from work visas like the H2A programme.
According to the USDA website, the H2A visa programme helps American farmers hire seasonal workers from other countries when there aren't enough local workers available. The programme covers temporary agricultural work like planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops on farms, plantations, and similar places.
According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, many people want to work in America temporarily as non-immigrants. Employers usually file petitions on behalf of workers, and there are different categories depending on skills, education, and work experience.
Watch the TikTok clip below:
Briefly News and our reporter, Nerissa Naidoo, recently published an article about Hendrik Botha and a video posted online. The report contained inaccurate and misleading claims made by another individual, and we would like to issue a formal apology. We are deeply committed to factual reporting and our 'do no harm' policy. We sincerely regret this error and any harm or confusion it may have caused Mr. Botha and our readers.
3 Other stories of South African farmers
- Briefly News recently reported on an Afrikaner farmer in the US who amazed people with his dance moves during the Magumba challenge.
- A white Zimbabwean farmer showed her incredible success story in South Africa after being kicked out of her home country, but the phone call she received years later was absolutely priceless.
- A young farmer sold 20,000 cabbages in just four days and had South Africans inspired, but his secret to success had everyone feeling motivated.
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Source: Briefly News
