The United States Department of Labor announced that it received more H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers Visa applications for the year’s first-half allotment than total visas available.
In response to this announcement about record-setting demand for H-2B visas amid sustained workforce shortage, US Travel Association issued the following statement:
“The overwhelming demand for H-2B worker visas—the earliest the first-half cap has ever been met—is further proof that this highly successful program should expand to meet workforce demand. With nearly 10 million job openings across the U.S. economy, and 1.4 million in the leisure and hospitality sector alone, there are simply not enough American workers to meet hiring needs.
“The federal government can address these critical workforce shortages—and spur the U.S. economy—by increasing the cap on H-2B temporary worker visas.”
The H-2B program allows US employers or US agents who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs.
A US employer, or US employer, or US agent as described in the regulations, must file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, on a prospective worker’s behalf.
