H-2B Visa Cap Reached for Returning Workers in the Second Half of Fiscal Year 2025
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the cap of 19,000 additional H-2B visas for returning workers has been reached for the early part of the second half of fiscal year 2025. This allocation covers employment start dates from April 1 to May 14, 2025.
As stipulated in the Temporary Final Rule (TFR) on the supplemental H-2B visa cap, the deadline to receive petitions was April 18, 2025. USCIS has confirmed it will no longer accept petitions under this specific category.
Also Read: “United States Reports Record-Breaking Border Control Numbers in the First 100 Days of 2025”
The H-2B visa program is designed to allow U.S. employers to hire non-agricultural temporary workers when there are not enough U.S. workers available. The additional visas granted under the TFR are exclusively reserved for workers who were previously issued an H-2B visa in one of the last three fiscal years, qualifying them as “returning workers.”
This measure aims to ease pressure on economic sectors that rely on seasonal labor, such as hospitality, landscaping, construction, and other industries that require additional staff during peak periods.
What’s Next for Employers and Workers?
Employers who did not submit their petitions before the deadline will need to consider alternative options within the H-2B program, including any future supplemental allocations that may be announced later in the fiscal year. USCIS encourages interested parties to stay updated through its official website, where updates on allocations, deadlines, and additional requirements are regularly posted.
For more information on H-2B visas and the temporary increases authorized for fiscal year 2025, visit USCIS’s official page: Temporary Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2025.
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