H2B Visas

As of March 30, 2023, USCIS has received enough petitions to reach the additional 16,500 H-2B visas. The application processing fee will be raised from $190 to $205 May 30. This represents a 7.9% increase over the current fee but is $105 or 33.9% below the original proposal of $310. The visas are made available for returning workers for the early second half of FY 2023 with start dates from April 1, 2023, to May 14, 2023, under the FY 2023 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule.
 
We will reject and return any H-2B petitions received after March 30, 2023, that are filed for a returning worker under the early second half of FY 2023 allocation., together with any accompanying fees. Read more: Cap Reached for Additional Returning Worker H-2B Visas for the Early Second Half of FY 2023. Starting April 13, 2023, we will begin accepting petitions for workers for the late second half of FY 2023, requesting employment start dates from May 15, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2023.
 
As co-chair of the H-2B Workforce Coalition, AHLA submitted comments on the negative repercussions a drastic increase in H-2B processing fees would have had. We appreciate that the State Department took those comments into account and kept the increase minimal. AHLA will continue to engage and lead discussions on the importance of affordable temporary worker visas.
 
Interested in learning more? Join us on April 18 for an Operating Now webinar covering H2B visas. The webinar is free to all members. 
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