15 More Countries Eligibile for Temporary Guest Worker Visas
Fifteen countries have been added to the list of countries eligible for H-2A and H-2B visas, including Barbados, Estonia, Fiji, Hungary, Kiribati, Latvia, Macedonia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The H-2 visa classes are temporary work permits offered to foreign workers willing to work in agriculture, tourism, and the hospitality industries when a worker shortage is anticipated.
With the addition of these 15 countries, U.S. Customs and Immigration Services, with the assistance of the Department of State, has identified 53 countries whose citizens are eligible to participate in the temporary worker visa program.
The H-2A visa provides for an unlimited number of temporary agricultural workers to come to the United States when a worker shortage is anticipated by farmers. The H-2B visa provides temporary work visas for low-skilled, non-agricultural workers. The visas are typically used by the tourism and hospitality industries when a worker shortage is anticipated during peak seasons. There is a 66,000 annual cap on H-2B visas with 33,000 issued during the first part of the year, and the remaining visas issued during the second half of the year.
For a full list of countries whose citizens are eligible for the temporary guest worker program, see the USCIS website.