USCIS Designates 58 Countries for the H-2A and H-2B Work Visa Programs
January 17- The Department of Homeland Security will officially publish in the Federal Register tomorrow its finalized list of 58 countries whose citizens are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B work visa programs for fiscal year 2012. The H-2A and H-2B programs allow U.S. employers to temporarily employ short-term foreign workers in agricultural and nonagricultural fields respectively. Countries on the list will remain designated for a validity period of one year upon the publication of the Federal Register tomorrow.
The countries on the list include: Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Montegro, Nauru, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay and Vanuatu.
For the H-2B program for temporary nonagricultural workers, The U.S. Congress has set an annual statutory numerical limit, commonly referred to the “H-2B Cap,” that limits the number of foreign workers who may receive H-2B classification. Currently, the cap provides for allocations for up to 66,000 H-2B visas per year, with 33,000 issued in the first half of the fiscal year (October 1- March 31) and the second 33,000 issued in the second half of the year (April 1- September 30). Unallocated visas during the first half of the year may “carry over” for use by employers seeking H-2B workers for the second half of the year, but unused visas may not “carry over” from different years. No cap count exists for the H-2A visa program for temporary agricultural workers.
For the first time, Haiti, Iceland, Montenegro, Spain, and Switzerland became designated countries whose nationals are now eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs.
The countries on the list include: Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Montegro, Nauru, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay and Vanuatu.
For the H-2B program for temporary nonagricultural workers, The U.S. Congress has set an annual statutory numerical limit, commonly referred to the “H-2B Cap,” that limits the number of foreign workers who may receive H-2B classification. Currently, the cap provides for allocations for up to 66,000 H-2B visas per year, with 33,000 issued in the first half of the fiscal year (October 1- March 31) and the second 33,000 issued in the second half of the year (April 1- September 30). Unallocated visas during the first half of the year may “carry over” for use by employers seeking H-2B workers for the second half of the year, but unused visas may not “carry over” from different years. No cap count exists for the H-2A visa program for temporary agricultural workers.
For the first time, Haiti, Iceland, Montenegro, Spain, and Switzerland became designated countries whose nationals are now eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs.
