The DHS, Department of Homeland Security, and the DOL, Department of Labor, have announced that 35,000 additional H2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the second half of 2022 will be available. 

These additional visas will be available for U.S. employers who are looking for employees on or after April 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022. This is part of a new effort to help support American businesses and those looking to come to the U.S. to work. 

This news comes after the DHS and DOL announced in January of 2022 that they were making 20,000 additional H2B visas available for the first half of the year. 

Things to Note:

• 23,500 of the available visas are for returning workers who have received an H2B visa or have H2B status within the last 3 years.
  
• The remaining 11,500 visas are exempt from the returning worker requirement and are specifically reserved for Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador nationals. 

What is the H2B Program?

The H2B programs allows employers in the U.S. to temporarily hire noncitizens to perform nonagricultural work within the states. The employment period is specifically limited, meaning that it is for seasonal or one-time jobs. In order to apply for this visa, the employer or U.S. agent must file a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. 

In order for an employer to seek workers through this program, they do need to provide certification from the DOL proving that there are not enough U.S. workers qualified and available to do the temporary job. They also have to show that getting an employee through the H2B program will not negatively affect the wages or working conditions of U.S. workers. 

According to the USCIS, additional details about how the supplemental allocation will be implemented will be provided in the forthcoming temporary final rule. For more information on the H2B program and how to apply, please visit the USCIS website.