This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh, Fredrikson Immigration Department Chair, is a member.
Effective November 17, 2023, in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is increasing the total number of noncitizens who may receive an H-2B nonimmigrant visa by up to 64,716 for fiscal year (FY) 2024. 20,000 visas are reserved for nationals of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica. The visas will be available "only to businesses that are suffering or will suffer impending irreparable harm, as attested by the employer." DHS is also providing temporary portability flexibility, explained in more detail in the temporary rule.
The supplemental visas will be distributed in several allocations and timeframes, which are summarized in the temporary rule. DHS said it will not accept any H-2B petitions under these allocations after September 16, 2024, and will not approve any such H-2B petitions after September 30, 2024. The provisions related to portability are available only to petitioners and H-2B nonimmigrant workers initiating employment through the end of January 24, 2025.
DOL's Office of Foreign Labor Certification is accepting comments on the temporary rule until January 16, 2024.
