An additional 64,716 H-2B guest worker visas will be available over the course of fiscal year 2026, according to an announcement from the departments of Homeland Security and Labor.
The visa allocation effectively doubles the 66,000 H-2B visas that are issued each year and is about a twofold increase from the 35,000 additional H-2B visas announced in January.
H‑2B visas help employers meet seasonal or temporary labor needs and are primarily used in industries like hospitality, tourism, seafood processing, forestry, manufacturing, and landscaping.
The government has routinely authorized additional visas under the H-2B program since 2016. The Biden administration made 64,716 supplemental visas available in fiscal year 2025.
The supplemental visas are intended for U.S. employers who attest that they face, or will face, irreparable harm without access to additional H‑2B workers. Employers must complete a new attestation form as part of the filing process; retain supporting documentation for three years; and provide records upon request during any compliance review.
SHRM recently signed on to a letter from the H-2B Workforce Coalition urging the Trump administration to make 64,716 supplemental H-2B visas available this year.
This year, 46,226 of the additional visas will be made available to returning workers who received an H-2B visa or were otherwise granted H-2B status during one of the previous three fiscal years. The remaining 18,490 additional visas will be reserved for petitions requesting employment start dates between May 1 and Sept. 30, plus any rollover unused visas from the prior allocations, regardless of whether the foreign nationals are returning workers.
Petitions filed after Sept. 15 will not be accepted and petitions for work after Sept. 30 will not be approved. To maximize the chance of securing an H-2B visa before the supply is exhausted, employers should work with immigration counsel to submit petitions at the earliest opportunity.
“The H-2B program is essential to the success of seasonal industries like landscaping, especially as we continue to face a severe workforce crisis,” said Britt Wood, CEO of the National Association of Landscape Professionals. “The American economy depends on a reliable, legal, and timely workforce to keep essential industries running.”
Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, said that H-2B visas are critical for hotels to fill their workforce gaps and be fully staffed ahead of peak travel season.
About 25% of the seasonal workforce on Michigan’s popular Mackinac Island typically holds an H-2B visa. “The additional visas give our island businesses the opportunity to reach full staffing levels for the upcoming season,” said Tim Hygh, executive director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.
“With greater certainty about the number of guest workers they will receive, employers can now finalize their U.S. hiring, operating plans, schedules, and services,” he said. “This added capacity is critical to meeting visitor demand and ensuring a successful season for both businesses and the island economy as a whole.”
Hygh added that while the island’s business community is pleased that all of the discretionary visas were ultimately released, the timing remains a significant challenge.
“The closer these visas are issued to the start of the season, the more difficult it becomes for businesses to complete hiring, secure housing, and arrange travel for employees,” he said. “These additional visas were released only three months before seasonal staff are scheduled to arrive, leaving a very tight window to finalize logistics. We are hopeful that everything can come together in time, but earlier allocations would provide much-needed stability and predictability.”
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