Working in Florida as a foreign worker: jobs, pay and cost of living (2026)

Florida runs on tourism and agriculture, and both sectors depend heavily on foreign workers. The state is one of the top users of both H-2A and H-2B visas in the country, which makes it one of the most realistic destinations for workers abroad who want a legal path into the US labor market.

Which Florida industries hire foreign workers

Hospitality and resorts

Orlando alone hosts tens of millions of visitors a year, and the hotel belt around the theme parks hires housekeepers, kitchen staff, servers and groundskeepers on H-2B visas for the high season. Beach resorts from Miami up to the Panhandle do the same. Large resort operators also use the J-1 program for some roles, but H-2B is the main route for general hospitality labor.

Agriculture: citrus, berries and vegetables

Florida's citrus industry, plus strawberries around Plant City, blueberries, tomatoes and sugarcane, brings in tens of thousands of H-2A workers each season. The main harvest window runs roughly from autumn through spring - the opposite of northern states, which matters if you want back-to-back seasons.

Landscaping and golf courses

Florida has more golf courses than any other state, and year-round growth means constant demand for landscaping crews, many hired through H-2B.

Construction

Rapid population growth keeps residential construction busy, particularly in Central and Southwest Florida. Some contractors sponsor foreign workers for hard-to-fill trades.

Pay: what to expect

• Hotel housekeeping and kitchen roles: typically around $13-17 per hour
• H-2A field work: the government-set AEWR has recently been roughly $14-16 per hour in Florida, with piece rates common in berries and citrus
• Landscaping: typically around $14-17 per hour
• Skilled construction trades: often $18-26 per hour

Like Texas, Florida has no state income tax, which lifts take-home pay. Tipped hospitality roles can earn meaningfully more than base wage in busy resorts, but never count on tips when planning your budget.

Cost of living

Florida is no longer cheap. Rents in Miami are among the highest in the country, and Orlando and Tampa have risen sharply. A room in a shared apartment near the Orlando tourism corridor typically costs around $600-900 per month. Agricultural H-2A workers receive free employer-provided housing, and some resort employers arrange staff housing - always ask before accepting an offer. Car insurance in Florida is notoriously expensive, which surprises many newcomers.

Climate and community

The climate is subtropical: hot, humid summers, warm winters, and a hurricane season from June to November that occasionally disrupts work and housing. If you work outdoors, afternoon thunderstorms are a daily rhythm in summer. Florida is one of the most internationally diverse states in the US - enormous Caribbean, Latin American and Haitian communities, plus growing Filipino and Eastern European populations in hospitality hubs. Spanish is widely spoken; in Miami it is often the default.

Getting hired the legal way

For most workers abroad, the realistic paths are H-2A for farm seasons and H-2B for hospitality and landscaping. Both are employer-driven petitions - you cannot apply for the visa yourself without a job offer first. Our overview of US work visas explains the differences. And a standing warning: no legitimate employer or agent charges workers for a job offer. Recruitment fees charged to workers are illegal in these programs.

How Florida fits a year-round work plan

Florida's inverted calendar is worth planning around. Because the citrus, strawberry and vegetable seasons run roughly from autumn to spring, experienced H-2A workers sometimes pair a Florida winter with a summer contract in a northern state like Michigan or New York, keeping nearly year-round employment across two legal seasonal visas. If that is your goal, tell employers - some coordinate transfers with partner farms. Two practical notes. First, hurricane season: keep your passport, visa documents and some savings in a grab-ready bag from June to November, and know your employer's storm plan. Second, transport: the Orlando tourism corridor has limited bus service, but most farm and many resort jobs assume employer transport or a shared car, so ask how you will actually get to work before accepting an offer.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules, wage floors and program caps change every year - check the current position at uscis.gov and dol.gov before making decisions.

Florida employers browse worker registries when the season approaches, so be visible before then. Create your free profile on Workmerica - it is completely free, no credit card required, and employers contact you directly when your skills match what they need.