U.S. to Issue Additional 65,000 Seasonal Worker Visas
The U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has announced it will issue an additional 65,000 H-2B seasonal worker visas by September 30, 2026. The move aims to help employers facing significant financial losses due to labor shortages.
According to a notice in the Federal Register, the additional visas are intended for sectors where employers struggle to find sufficient workers. Normally, 66,000 H-2B visas are issued annually, but the new measure nearly doubles this number for 2026.
Seasonal employers, particularly in the hospitality and construction industries, have long requested more visas to address workforce gaps. While President Trump has taken a strict stance against illegal immigration and imposed travel restrictions and refugee screening measures, this decision allows for limited expansion of legal seasonal work.
The announcement follows similar increases in H-2B visas during previous administrations, including the Trump term from 2017 to 2021 and under President Joe Biden. However, immigration restriction advocates have expressed concern that increasing H-2B visas may put downward pressure on wages for U.S. workers.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also introduced a $100,000 fee for H-1B work visas, making it more challenging for technology companies to hire foreign employees—a policy currently facing legal challenges.
The Federal Register notice states that the additional H-2B visas will be implemented through a temporary rule, which is scheduled to be formally published next Tuesday.
