U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it has reached the cap for the additional 20,716 H-2B returning worker visas for the first half of fiscal year 2025.
The Biden administration announced in November it would issue an additional 64,000 H-2B visas to seasonal workers in industries such as hospitality, tourism, and seafood. More visas mean employers who rely on temporary workers can meet demand during peak seasons.
The government is still accepting applications for the 20,000 H-2B visas reserved for nationals of certain countries and for workers who are exempt from the congressionally-mandated cap.
Next Steps for Employers
Employers whose petitions were not accepted under the returning worker cap may still file under the country-specific allocation or for exempt workers. Additional visas for the second half of FY 2025 will become available in two phases:
- Early Second Half (April 1 – May 14): 19,000 visas for returning workers, regardless of nationality.
- Late Second Half (May 15 – Sept. 30): 5,000 visas for returning workers, regardless of nationality.
For more information, check out Boundless’ detailed H-2B guide.