The Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C., increased the number of H-2B visas allotted for the fiscal year 2023 by 64,716 visas October 12.
According to DHS, the increase will help address the need for seasonal workers and hopefully result in a decrease in “irregular migration.”
“The Department of Homeland Security is moving with unprecedented speed to meet the needs of American businesses,” says Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of homeland security. “At a time of record job growth, this full year allocation at the very outset of the fiscal year will ensure that businesses can plan for their peak season labor needs. We also will bolster worker protections to safeguard the integrity of the program from unscrupulous employers who would seek to exploit the workers by paying substandard wages and maintaining unsafe work conditions.”
The H-2B visa program allows employers to hire noncitizens temporarily to perform nonagricultural labor or services in the United States. Employment must be temporary, such as a one-time occurrence, seasonal need or intermittent need.
