Due to a dangerous shortage of willing and able U.S. temporary agricultural workers, the Department of Homeland Security has made the decision to allow an additional 15,000 foreign nationals to come to the United States on an H-2B visa. Each year, the USCIS accepts 66,000 foreign nationals for H-2B visas, but due to the negative impacts that businesses are experiencing this year, it has been increased. It is important to note that if you are interested in applying for this visa, you must do so through September 30, 2017. This is because the additional 15,000 visas are only for the Fiscal Year of 2017, which happens to end on September 30, 2017.
There are a number of eligibility requirements that a person must meet in order to determine whether they may be eligible to obtain an H-2B visa. In order for a business to petition, they must be able to prove that if they are not granted additional H-2B workers, they are going to suffer serious permanent financial loss. A business must have looked for U.S. workers before June 1, 2017. In addition, the business must be able to meet other requirements to be eligible for an H-2B. This includes being granted a temporary labor certification from the Department of Labor.
The filing deadline for all of the petitions is September 15, 2017. If there are petitions that haven’t been approved prior to the end of Fiscal Year 2017, they will be denied without filing fee refund. If you have questions about the additional H-2B visas, you should consult with an experienced immigration attorney who can provide you with assistance.
John Sesini is an experienced immigration attorney with offices in Green Bay and Milwaukee Wisconsin. If you have any questions regarding these matters, please contact the Sesini Law Group, S.C. and obtain your initial consultation.