The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough requests to reach the limit of 19,000 additional H-2B visas available for returning workers, according to a report published on the UCIS website.
These visas are corresponding to the second half of fiscal year 2024 that have a start date of employment between April 1 to May 14, 2024, under theTemporary Final Rule on the Fiscal Year 2024 H-2B Supplemental Visa Cap (FY 2024 TFR).
April 17, 2024, was the final date for receiving petitions requesting supplemental H-2B visas under the Returning Worker Allowance for the second half of fiscal year 2024.
Petitions for H-2B nonimmigrant workers are still being accepted for the additional 20,000 visas available for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica (per-country allocation) who are exempt from the returning worker requirement.
As well as for those exempt from the maximum regulatory amount established by Congress. See page Temporary Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Pathways for Fiscal Year 2024 for information on the 20,000 visas reserved for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
Fiscal year ends
Starting April 22, 2024, they begin accepting petitions for workers for the end of the second half of fiscal year 2024 who request employment start dates of May 15 to September 30, 2024.
The 5,000 visas available under this allocation are limited to returning workers who were issued H-2B visas or held H-2B status in fiscal years 2021, 2022, or 2023, regardless of country of nationality.
Additional information about supplemental visas for fiscal year 2024 is available on the pageTemporary Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for Fiscal Year 2024.
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