The OFLC announced the establishment of an H-2A Ombudsman Program. The H-2A Ombudsman Program is here to facilitate the fair and equitable resolution of concerns that arise within the H-2A filing community, by conducting independent and impartial inquiries into issues related to the administration of the H-2A program.
For more information on the H-2A Ombudsman Program click here.
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 42 (Friday, March 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12883-12884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5159]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Wage and Hour Division
To assist H-2A employers in preparing their agricultural job offers and applications, the Department of Labor has posted a sixth round of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) providing clarifications on several H-2A issues raised recently.
Please check attachment to read round Six FAQs.
To continue to assist H-2A employers in preparing their agricultural job offers and applications, the Department of Labor has revised its Employer Guide for Participating in the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Program. This guide summarizes and explains key regulatory requirements for a U.S. employer to participate in the H-2A Program, including what documents to file, important timeframes and deadlines, helpful filing tips, and how to contact the OFLC Chicago National Processing Center for further assistance.
To assist H-2A employers in preparing their agricultural job offers and applications, the Department of Labor has posted a fifth round of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) providing clarifications on several H-2A issues raised recently, including the transportation requirement.
These FAQs are Click here.
The Department of Labor is amending its regulations governing the certification of the employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment and the enforcement of the obligations applicable to employers of such nonimmigrant workers. This Final Rule revises the process by which employers obtain a temporary labor certification from the Department for use in petitioning the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to employ a nonimmigrant worker in H–2B status.
This Final Rule is effective April 23, 2012.
Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
WHD H-2B Side-by-Side Comparison of the 2009 and 2012 Rules
February, 2012
Temporary Non-Agricultural Employment of H-2B Aliens in the United States. The Department has placed on the table for publication in the Federal Register a Final Rule amending the regulations governing the labor certification process for the temporary employment of H-2B foreign workers in the United States, codified at 20 CFR part 655, and enforcement of employer obligations under the H-2B program, codified at 29 CFR Part 503. The new regulations will be published in the Federal Register on February 21, 2012, and will go into effect on April 23, 2012.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State, has identified 58 countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B programs for the coming year. The notice listing eligible countries will publish in tomorrow’s Federal Register. Each country’s designation is valid for one year from the date of publication.
USCIS reminds the sheepherding industry of the upcoming expiration of the one-time accommodation giving them more time to fully transition to the three-year limitation-of-stay requirements for the H-2A nonimmigrant classification.
USCIS announced its limitation-of-stay requirements under a final rule that became effective on Jan. 17, 2009.
The agency granted a one-time accommodation for sheepherders in H-2A status in December 2009 in deference to their industry’s prior exemption from the three-year limitation. This exemption did not impact other H-2A categories.