Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced on May 25, 2018, that the federal government will add 15,000 H-2B seasonal worker visas for fiscal year 2018. She determined there is a shortage of qualified, U.S. workers available to perform temporary nonagricultural labor to fulfil the needs of U.S. businesses in FY 2018. This is in addition to the 66,000 H-2B visas already issued for the year. She said she came to this conclusion after consulting with Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta, members of Congress, and business owners.
The move follows statements President Donald Trump made at a rally on April 28, 2018, during which he said, “The unemployment picture is so good, it’s so strong, that we have to let people come in. They’re going to be guest workers. They’re going to come in, they’re going to work on your farms, we’re going to have the H-2Bs come in, we’re going to have a lot of things happening but then they have to go out.” Ironically, this action increases availability of the type of laborer used extensively at the President’s properties, including Mar-a-Lago.
USCIS has issued instructions and information about H-2B visas at the agency’s website.
