DHS to release additional visas
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in conjunction with the Department of Labor (DOL), will be issuing a regulation that will make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year (FY) 2023.
These visas are in addition to the 66,000 H-2B visas that are normally allocated each fiscal year. DHS hopes that by making these supplemental visas available at the beginning of the fiscal year (which began on October 1, 2022), the Agency will be able to address employers’ needs for additional seasonal workers in a much timelier manner.
“This announcement is the first time an Administration has used their discretionary authority to release the maximum amount of supplemental H-2B visas under the law and will also enable landscape professionals to access these supplemental H-2B visas when they’re needed in April, not July,” says Andrew Bray, NALP senior vice president of government relations and membership. “We applaud the leadership and support for seasonal businesses by this Administration and look forward to working through the timely execution of this announcement and then turning to Congress to permanently fix the H-2B program once and for all.”
This is a significant win for the landscape industry as it virtually doubles the cap for FY 23 and enables these visas to be issued in the spring, not the summer like years past. This announcement also demonstrates support for the program and a realization that our shift labor market requires the expansion of polices like the H-2B program to benefit U.S. workers, employers the customers they serve and the health of the overall economy.
The Georgia Urban Ag Council is a proud member of NALP, the H-2B Workforce Coalition and Seasonal Employment Alliance (SEA).