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The H-2B returning worker provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-113) expired on Sept.

USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H‑2B cap for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2017. January 10, 2017 was the final receipt date for new H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before April 1, 2017.

On June 5, 2015, USCIS will reopen the congressionally mandated fiscal year (FY) 2015 cap and will accept Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting new H-2B workers with an employment start date between April 1 and September 30, 2015.

Why USCIS is Reopening the 2nd half FY 2015 Cap for H-2B Petitions

On June 5, 2015, USCIS announced that it had reopened the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the second half of fiscal year (FY) 2015. USCIS has now received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the H-2B cap for the second half of FY 2015. June 11, 2015 was the final receipt date for new H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before October 1, 2015.

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification has updated the following H-2B forms: 1) Form 9142B - General Instructions; 2) Appendix B; 3) Form 9142B, Job Contractor Requirements under the 2015 H-2B Interim Final Rule. To access the forms, please click here.

The H-2B RFI mailbox at the Chicago National Processing Center (RFI.H2B.Chicago@dol.gov) will cease to be monitored July 13, 2015, and will no longer accept messages starting September 30, 2015. All stakeholders should useTLC.Chicago@dol.gov for all communications concerning the H-2A and H-2B Temporary Labor Certification programs.

USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H‑2B cap for fiscal year (FY) 2017. March 13, 2017 was the final receipt date for new H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before October 1, 2017.

What Happens After Reaching the Cap

USCIS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State, have added St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs for the coming year. The notice listing the eligible countries was published on Oct. 26, 2016 in the Federal Register.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), have announced the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs in 2020. The notice listing the eligible countries will be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 17, 2020.

WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a temporary final rule to change certain H-2B requirements to help support the U.S. food supply chain, maintain essential infrastructure operations and reduce the impact from the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency.

Department to Temporarily Amend Certain H-2A Requirements During COVID-19 National Emergency

Release Date: April 15, 2020

Release Date 11/18/2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap on H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2021. Nov. 16 was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before April 1, 2021. USCIS will reject new cap-subject H-2B petitions received after Nov. 16, that request an employment start date before April 1, 2021.

Release Date 02/24/2021