Administration to Increase H-2B Workers by 15,000 for Fiscal Year 2018
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to allow an additional 15,000 H-2B workers for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, which ends September 30.
“While we would have hoped this news would have come sooner from the administration, it may still help a number of our businesses in South Dakota. South Dakota’s tourism and construction seasons are already underway, and employers across the state have been left without the temporary work they need to fully operate. While we hope today’s announcement will help, the lack of adequate help has already had an adverse impact on these small business owners’ livelihoods, as well as the entire economy of our state. Moving forward, finding a long-term fix for the H-2B visa issue is vital. As jobs are created and our economy grows, we must utilize highly effective, thoroughly vetted programs such as the H-2B program if we are to ever fully reach our economic potential.”
The omnibus appropriations bill, which was signed into law in April allowed the DHS to increase the number of H-2B visas if it is determined that the needs of American businesses cannot be satisfied in fiscal year 2018 with domestic workers.
On February 27, 2018, USCIS determined that it had received sufficient H-2B petitions to meet the full FY 2018 statutory cap of 66,000.
Starting immediately, eligible petitioners for H-2B visas can file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. Eligible petitioners must submit a supplemental attestation on Form ETA 9142-B-CAA-2 with their petition.
Details on eligibility and filing requirements will be available in the final temporary rule and on the Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2018 webpage to be published on uscis.govwhen the final temporary rule is posted for public inspection.
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Here’s to hoping that it’s not too little, too late for our tourism businesses.
Yay, Wall Drug gets its cheap foreign labor without having to worry about raising its wages or adjusting its business model!
Where does one view a transparent list of South Dakotan’s suffering from a “lack of adequate help has already had an adverse impact on these small business owners’ livelihoods” who are employing the petitioners ?
Let the sun shine in the formerly known Sunshine State !
Talk to almost any business owner in Keystone, to start with. That will begin your list with a couple dozen folks. Contrary to the Trump Administration’s belief, Americans aren’t lining up in droves to take these jobs. In fact, if you know about the H-2B program, every job must be advertised and offered to locals first. And I don’t know any employer who wouldn’t hire a qualified local, if they were to apply. But they don’t, and that’s the point.
And to Anonymous @ 9:34’s comment about “cheap foreign labor”, every one of these jobs must be offered at a pay rate commensurate with that of American crew members. Not having to match FICA is indeed a savings, but it’s minute compared to the expense of boarding the foreign workers.
The point isn’t that they’re offering the same wage to citizens and non citizens alike. The point is that by being allowed to bring in non citizens they don’t have to worry about raising wages high enough to attract citizens.
Too late. However Mar Lago got their H2bs in January. Wonder how that happened.