Additional visas available to foreign workers

Homeland Security officials have increased the number of temporary non-agricultural worker visas as a means of aiding American businesses.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen said an additional 15,000 H-2B temporary visas would be available for Fiscal Year 2018, in addition to the 66,000 visas already issued this year.

The H-2B temporary non-agricultural worker program is designed to serve American businesses unable to find a sufficient number of qualified workers to perform non-agriculture duties. Congress set the annual H-2B visa cap at 66,000.

“The limitations on H-2B visas were originally meant to protect American workers, but when we enter a situation where the program unintentionally harms American businesses it needs to be reformed,” Nielsen said. “I call on Congress to pass much needed reforms of the program and to expressly set the number of H-2B visas in statute. We are once again in a situation where Congress has passed the buck and turned a decision over to the Department of Homeland Security that would be better situated with Congress, who knows the needs of the program. I remain committed to protecting workers and strengthening the integrity of our lawful immigration system and look forward to working with Congress to do so.”

Officials said a maximum of 33,000 H-2B visas are available during the first half of the fiscal year, and the remainder, including any unused H-2B visas from the first half of that fiscal year, is available starting April 1 through Sept. 30.