Foreign workers have been vital to American businesses, especially during peak seasons when local labor is scarce. This support primarily comes from the H-2 visa program, established by Congress in 1952 to address labor shortages, particularly during busy production periods.
The H-2A visa allows employers to hire temporary agricultural workers, while the H-2B visa enables the hiring of non-agricultural workers, such as landscapers and hotel staff. Both visa types are popular among businesses. However, the H-2B program is increasingly unable to meet the growing demands of American employers facing significant worker shortages due to changes in the labor market.
According to a recent analysis by the American Immigration Council, the number of temporary non-agricultural workers certified by the U.S. Department of Labor surged from over 147,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2018 to more than 215,000 in FY 2023—a 46% increase in just five years. Yet, the visa program limits the number of workers to 66,000 per year, split between the first and second halves of the fiscal year. Congress has had to authorize additional visas in each of the past four fiscal years.
The analysis also found that the H-2B program’s geographic reach has expanded significantly, with a 30.4% increase in counties using H-2B workers from 2018 to 2023. Employers in 469 counties that previously did not have certified workers began using them by FY 2023, showing a growing dependence on H-2B workers across various regions.
Texas had the highest number of DOL-certified H-2B workers, while Florida experienced the largest numerical increase—from 10,690 certified workers in FY 2018 to 18,384 in FY 2023. Additionally, in states like Alabama, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oregon, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, the number of certified workers more than doubled during this period.
The Council’s interactive map allows users to explore specific trends in their states and understand how H-2B workers are distributed nationwide. In June, the Council also published a report on H-2A workers, which found a similar rise in demand for temporary immigrant workers in agriculture.
Industries such as landscaping, hotels and motels, and building services rely heavily on H-2B visas. As the baby boom generation retires and younger U.S.-born workers show less interest in physically demanding seasonal jobs, these sectors struggle to recruit and retain employees.
In 2023, the most sought-after occupations for H-2B workers included landscaping and groundskeeping (39.1% of all certifications), maids and housekeeping cleaners (7.0%), and forest and conservation workers (5.8%). There is also a strong demand for foreign seasonal workers in tourism, construction, and seafood processing.
The H-2B visa program is crucial for supporting American businesses and regional economies. However, it requires significant reform. The annual cap on visas is insufficient to meet employers’ needs, and the process for obtaining visas is complex and time-consuming, involving multiple steps with the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
It is essential to protect U.S.-born workers and prevent the exploitation of seasonal foreign workers. We can achieve this while also expanding access and streamlining the visa process, allowing American employers to secure the temporary workforce they need.
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