2026 H-2A Meal Charge and Subsistence Rate Update: What H-2A and H-2B Employers Need to Know

Every year the Department of Labor's Office of Foreign Labor Certification publishes updated rates for H-2A meal charges and travel subsistence reimbursement for H-2A and H-2B employers. The 2026 rates are now in effect as of April 6, 2026 and if you're currently operating or preparing for an upcoming season, now is the time to make sure your job offers and records reflect the new numbers.

Here's a full breakdown of what changed and what you need to do about it.

What Are These Rates?

There are two separate but related things being updated here:

Meal charges apply to H-2A employers who provide meals directly to their workers. DOL sets a cap on what you're allowed to charge workers per day for those meals.

Travel subsistence reimbursement applies to both H-2A and H-2B employers and covers the minimum and maximum daily amounts you must reimburse workers for meals and lodging while they're traveling to and from their place of employment.

Both are regulatory requirements, not suggestions. Your job offer must reflect the correct figures and your reimbursement practices need to line up with them.

The 2026 Updated Rates

H-2A Allowable Meal Charge

If you provide meals directly to your H-2A workers, the maximum you may charge per worker is $16.78 per day.

This applies to all H-2A employers except those in herding or livestock production on the range, which fall under a separate set of standards.

If you're providing meals and charging workers for them, that charge cannot exceed $16.78 unless DOL has specifically approved a higher amount for your operation. Your job offer must clearly state the meal charge and if it references a prior year's rate, it needs to be updated now.

H-2A and H-2B Travel Subsistence Reimbursement

Both H-2A and H-2B employers are required to cover the reasonable cost of daily subsistence, meals, and lodging while workers are traveling between their home country or place of recruitment and your worksite. The 2026 rates are:

• Minimum: $16.78 per day
• Maximum: $68.00 per day (when the worker provides documentation of actual expenses)

If a worker doesn't provide receipts, you're not required to reimburse above the $16.78 minimum. If receipts are provided, reimbursement can go up to $68.00 based on the GSA's standard Continental U.S. per diem rate for meals and incidental expenses.

It's worth noting that the minimum daily subsistence rate must always be at least equal to the allowable meal charge. Since both sit at $16.78 for 2026, they are in alignment.

When Does the Reimbursement Obligation Apply?

The travel subsistence obligation kicks in once a worker completes 50% of the job order period. At that point you're responsible for inbound travel costs. Once the full job order period is completed, or if a worker is dismissed early for any reason, you're also responsible for the cost of the return trip.

Transportation costs must be no less than the most economical and reasonable option. You are not responsible for unnecessary detours or costs the worker incurs outside of the travel itself.

What You Should Update Right Now

If you're active in the H-2A or H-2B program or filing for an upcoming season, here's the checklist:

Job Offers - Any job offer referencing meal charges or subsistence rates needs to reflect the 2026 figures. If you're carrying over a template from a prior season, this is the first thing to update.

Payroll and Reimbursement Records - Make sure your internal tracking reflects the new minimum and maximum so reimbursements are calculated correctly from day one of travel.

Worker-Facing Documents - Any materials shared with workers that reference daily rates should be updated before workers arrive at your worksite.

Where to Find the Official Rates

The DOL publishes the current meal charge and subsistence rates on the FLAG system at flag.dol.gov/wage-data/subsistence-rates. This is the authoritative source and is updated each time new rates are published.

For H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates by state which are updated separately. You can find those at flag.dol.gov/wage-data/adverse-effect-wage-rates.

Staying Compliant Is an Ongoing Job

The H-2A and H-2B programs come with a significant number of employer obligations and the annual rate updates are just one piece of the puzzle. DOL audits look at whether your job offers, reimbursement practices, and documentation line up with current regulatory requirements and even small discrepancies can create problems.

At Labor Consultants International, we monitor DOL updates like this one as they're published and make sure our clients are always working with current, accurate information. If you have questions about how the 2026 rates apply to your operation or want a compliance review of your job offer materials, reach out to our team 

For more answers to common H-2A and H-2B compliance questions visit our FAQ page, or learn more about our H-2A visa services and H-2B visa services.

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