DHS and DOL to supplement H-2B cap with 35,000 temporary visas

• By: Nadine Grosso
• On: 04/07/2022 12:25:23
• In: Workforce

The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor announced the forthcoming publication of a joint temporary final rule to make available an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the second half of fiscal year 2022. These visas will be set aside for U.S. employers seeking to employ additional workers on or after April 1, 2022, through September 30, 2022. The H-2B program permits employers to temporarily hire noncitizens to perform nonagricultural labor or services in the U.S. 
 
The supplemental H-2B visa allocation consists of 23,500 visas available to returning workers who received an H-2B visa or were otherwise granted H-2B status during one of the last three fiscal years. The remaining 11,500 visas, which are exempt from the returning worker requirement, are reserved for nationals of Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.  
 
MHCA echoes AHCA/NCAL's expressed support for this announcement – especially during this critical time as the long term care industry experiences a historic labor shortage.

Staff contact: ngrosso@mehca.org