Earlier this year, H-2A service provider másLabor and LaborMex, a recruiting firm in the Mexican labor market, launched másData, an online platform that serves growers, H-2A workers and job seekers.
The másData platform integrates másLabor’s visa application technology and knowledge base with LaborMex’s H2 Organizer platform for an end-to-end process automation and visibility.
Chris Ball, CEO of másLabor says the growers using the H-2A program, especially farm labor contractors or large growers, had a need for a digital system to keep all the relevant information of the workers they utilize in an easy-to-access platform. He says másData services the whole ag labor ecosystem.
Ball says másData also helps H-2A workers to upload and store necessary documents such as passports, visas from the worker’s home consulate and more. He says this is a vital resource for any H-2A worker who can have access to their passport, work contract, visa, etc.
“They always have their phone,” Ball says. “They might not have all this documentation on their person, but they’re going to have their phone, and they can go to our app and say, ‘Here’s my visa, here’s my contract to be here, here’s where I’m working.”
The másData platform also integrates with a farm’s human resources information system (HRIS), so that once an H-2A worker comes to the farm, the necessary information uploads to the HRIS for payroll.
Ball also says másData helps growers track H-2A workers’ visa applications. Before, he says clients would call másLabor to ensure everything is on track. With másData, growers see when workers’ consulate appointments are and any documents uploaded.
“The whole point was just to make the process easier,” he says.
Another aspect, Ball says, includes tracking workers, which is especially beneficial for H-2A workers through a farm labor contractor. While previously farm labor contractors had struggled to track workers, másData helps those contractors see what’s happening in real time.
“Team A is over here and they’re picking peaches, and Team B is over here and they’re working on something else,” he says. “Now, where the teams are, we can link out their vehicles. So, if we’re giving them company trucks or vans, to move people around, they can see where those trucks are on the map.”
All of this information, Ball says, is also available in WhatsApp, which workers use to communicate.
Ball says másLabor uses másData to recruit workers in foreign countries. He says másData highlights open postings on its Facebook page to connect H-2A employment seekers to open positions.
He says the plan is to begin utilizing this technology starting with the next H-2A recruitment season in January.
Also part of this partnership is LaborMex, which Ball says helps másLabor better source workers from Mexico.
Features of the másData platform include:
- Digital client onboarding and visa process case management tracking.
- Comprehensive digital repository — a secure, centralized hub for all documentation, accessible 24/7.
- Real-time updates and notifications — instant alerts on application status, regulatory changes and worker movements.
- Seamless cross-border management — effortlessly handle workforce logistics between the U.S. and Mexico.
- Automated compliance checks — continuous monitoring and updates to ensure adherence to regulations in both countries.
- Multi-language support — real-time translation services to facilitate clear communication between employers and workers.
- Smart onboarding and training — interactive, artificial intelligence-guided modules for efficient worker orientation and skill development.
- Mobile-first design — a user-friendly app for both employers and workers.
- Automated reporting — generate comprehensive reports for audits, performance tracking and strategic planning with one click.
