The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), has announced plans to release an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for Fiscal Year 2025. This move supplements the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas available each fiscal year and represents the maximum permitted under current authority.
American businesses across sectors such as hospitality, tourism, landscaping, and seafood processing rely on seasonal workers from the H-2B program to meet demand. The supplemental visa allocation aims to address labor shortages where U.S. workers are unavailable or unwilling to fill temporary roles.
As in previous years, DHS is announcing its intentions early in FY 2025 to allow businesses adequate time for workforce planning. Robust protections have been established for both American and foreign workers. Employers must first attempt to recruit American workers before hiring through the H-2B program, ensuring compliance with regulations that protect against exploitation.
“The Department of Homeland Security is committed to further growing our nation’s strong economy,” stated Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. He emphasized that maximizing the use of the H-2B visa program helps meet business labor needs while maintaining consumer prices and strengthening worker protections.
The new rule will allocate 20,000 visas specifically for workers from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, or Costa Rica. Additionally, 44,716 supplemental visas will be available for returning workers who received an H-2B visa within the last three fiscal years. These allocations are divided between fiscal halves to address varying seasonal demands.
The H-2B program allows eligible employers to hire noncitizens for temporary nonagricultural work in cases of one-time occurrences or seasonal needs. Employers must prove a lack of available U.S. workers and ensure that hiring foreign labor does not negatively impact local wages or conditions.
DHS and DOL remain focused on preventing exploitation within the H-2B system while ensuring compliance with legal recruitment practices for U.S. workers able and willing to perform these jobs.
Further details on eligibility requirements and safeguards will be published in a forthcoming temporary final rule and made available on the USCIS website.