In a move to alleviate pressing labor shortages across various industries, the United States government has announced a temporary increase in the number of H-2B nonimmigrant visas for the fiscal year 2024. The temporary increase will allow for an additional 64,716 H-2B visas for the fiscal year. These supplemental visas are available only to U.S. businesses that are suffering irreparable harm or will suffer impending irreparable harm without the ability to employ all the H-2B workers requested in their petition.

The H-2B visa program is designed to allow U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for non-agricultural jobs on a temporary basis when there is a shortage of qualified American workers. This boost in available visas is a response to the growing demand for seasonal workers in sectors such as hospitality, landscaping, and construction. With the economy rebounding and businesses seeking to meet increased consumer demands, the move is expected to provide much-needed relief to employers grappling with workforce challenges.