In April 2021, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it will offer 22,000 additional H-2B visas for temporary, non-agricultural workers. The Department of Homeland Security will reserve 6,000 visas for nationals from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. To provide further detail, the Department of Homeland Security will publish a temporary rule in the federal register.

Application Process

The U.S. Government authorizes H-2B visas for foreign nationals to perform non-agricultural, temporary work. First, a U.S.-based employer must obtain labor certification approval from the U.S. Department of Labor. After labor certification approval, employers may pursue H-2B status for foreign nationals by filing an I-129 petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. After the beneficiary obtains H-2B status and begins working in the United States, job portability options apply to H-2B employers and beneficiaries. For example, an H-2B beneficiary may begin working for a new employer when the new employer files a new H-2B petition. After beneficiaries begin working, employers may request that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services extend the H-2B petition and stay.