Decision on Seasonal Worker Visa Numbers Back in DHS’s Court (1)

Congress again is poised to kick back the decision of whether to increase seasonal foreign worker visas to the Homeland Security Department.

The omnibus spending measure unveiled late March 21 says the DHS secretary, in consultation with the Labor Department, may determine whether to increase H-2B guestworker visas this year. The language mirrors a provision enacted in 2017.

Employers already have sought more of the temporary visas than are available for the second half of the fiscal year, which begins April 1. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services held the first-ever H-2B lottery March 1 after receiving petitions for 47,000 H-2B ...