The United States grants thousands of H-2 visas to workers with or without experience to work temporarily in the country.
Every year, the United States grants thousands of H-2 visas to experienced and inexperienced workers (non-professionals and without an academic degree) to work temporarily in the country.
This category is divided into two types of visas: the H-2A for agricultural workers and the H-2B for non-agricultural workers.
In 2020, the US granted a total of 65,716 H-2B visas, filled mostly by gardeners, forestry workers and meat cutters.
The availability of scholarships for temporary jobs
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on May 16 the availability of 35,000 H-2B visas for temporary non-agricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2022. These additional visas can be applied for by US employers beginning April 1, 2022.
The countries whose citizens received the highest number of H-2B visas were Mexico with 74.7%, followed by Jamaica with 8.9% and Guatemala with 2.7%, according to a report by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
Unlike H-2A visas, H-2B visas are subject to an annual cap set by Congress which is currently 66,000 workers by year.
Despite the annual limit, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in late January the availability of an additional 20,000 H-2B visas for temporary non-agricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2022.
Employer Requirements Employer Requirements
The petitioner or employer must demonstrate that there are not enough US workers who are “able, willing, available, and qualified to do temporary work.”
Employing workers under the H-2B visa shall not adversely affect US workers employed in similar tasksand the work of the candidate workers must be of a temporary nature.
USCIS considers temporary if a job:
- One-Time Occurrence: A petitioner argues that the need is a one-time occurrence and demonstrates that they have not previously hired workers to perform the service and will not need them in the future, or that it is a permanent employment situation but a temporary event or of short duration created the need for a temporary worker.
- It is seasonal: the service or job for which you are seeking workers is related to an event or pattern of events of a recurring nature.
Broadly speaking, the application process for the H2-B program is as follows:
- The petitioner files an application for a DOL Temporary Employment Certification for Foreign Labor.
- The petitioner must file a Form I-129 with USCIS.
- Candidate workers outside the US must apply for the H-2B visa at a US embassy or consulate abroad and then apply for admission at a port of entry. To the appointment they must bring a valid passport, a valid petition number (found in the job offer) and proof of payment of the visa application of US$ 190.
How long can I work in the US on an H2-B visa?
The maximum period of stay is 3 years. After 3 years, H-2B visa beneficiaries must leave the US for a period of 3 uninterrupted months before requesting readmission under the same type of visa.
The H-2B visa is granted for a period of one year, although it can be requested for two extensions of up to one year each. The extension request must be submitted before its expiration date and the workers will be able to remain in the US during the extension process.
Workers who receive the extension do not have to process a new visaas long as they do not leave the US, and if they return to their country of origin, they must apply for a new visa before re-entering the North American country.
Can I bring my family to the US with an H-2B visa?
Yes. An H-2B worker can bring their spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21 under the H-4 classification. However, family members are not eligible to work in the US.
