The Trump administration announced the addition of 65,000 H-2B seasonal guest worker visas through September 30, aiming to support U.S. employers facing critical labor shortages. This temporary increase nearly doubles the annual allocation of 66,000 H-2B visas for industries including construction, hospitality, landscaping, and seafood processing.
According to the Federal Register notice, the additional visas are intended for businesses at risk of financial hardship due to the unavailability of domestic workers. The expansion responds to ongoing complaints from seasonal employers struggling to fill positions, particularly in hotels and construction companies.
The administration clarified that the extra visas will be offered under a temporary rule, which will be formally published in the Federal Register. Critics have raised concerns that increasing H-2B visas could impact wages for U.S. workers, while supporters emphasize the necessity for industries that rely heavily on seasonal labor.
This increase follows previous expansions of the H-2B program under both the Trump and Biden administrations, reflecting ongoing challenges in meeting seasonal workforce demands. The H-2B program provides foreign workers with short-term, non-agricultural employment, helping sustain essential services and operations across multiple sectors in the United States.
