H-2B temporary visas provide needed labor source to seasonal businesses
The National Restaurant Association today reacted to the announcement from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that the H-2B temporary visa cap of 33,000 has already been reached for the first half of fiscal year 2008.
"Employers rely on H-2B temporary visas for short-term help in situations where US workers are not available," said John Gay, senior vice president of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the Association. "By hitting the cap so quickly, many employers will be prohibited from applying for needed seasonal workers. It is now more important than ever that Congress pass legislation making the H-2B returning worker exemption permanent, or at the very least providing an extension of the provision."
The returning worker exemption allows an H-2B visa employee who has worked in the U.S. during any one of the previous three years to return on an H-2B visa without counting against the annual visa cap. Approximately 50,000 H-2B workers were returning workers last year. Without an extension of the returning worker exemption, seasonal employers will not be able to hire H-2B visa workers until the beginning of the second half of the fiscal year on April 1, 2008.
Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and John Warner (R-VA) have introduced S. 988, bipartisan legislation to provide a 5 year extension of the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act. Representatives Bart Stupak (D-MI), Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) and Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) have introduced H.R. 1843 in the House that would make the exemption permanent.
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Reader Comments:
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Continuing H2B discussion
Steve: I was wondering if you are a MI resident/businessman? I continue to do whatever I can to help. I am a MI resident who loves her state and is TIRED of the "doom and gloom" talk about its economy! Evidence of MI companies that are suffering without passage of H2B are just what I want to know about. Your post says it all...thought you might be from MI with your comment about state already having a huge deficit. I received only 2 responses from all the emails/letters I sent to MI and Washington officials. Asking permission to quote you--even if you are not a MI businessman. Check out savesmallbusiness.org. 2008-01-01 Kathy LeBlanc |
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Landscape Contractor
We have been in the H2B program for about five years now, with the same workers returning year after year. We did not meet the cap this year, So unless something changes our workers will not be returning. 2007-12-31 Steve Hoerst |
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Michigan Resident
It is impossible to understand why the H2B visa is attached to immigration reform. Small businesses and foreign workers use the H2B visa program both successfully and legally. It is not an immigration issue, but rather a small business issue. Most U.S. citizens would prefer a full-time job instead of a 4-6 months seasonal job. Some seasonal jobs require relocating or working off the beaten track, for instance a ski resort or mountain retreat. 2007-12-10 Kathy LeBlanc |
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