Latest H-2B News

Changes in immigration that impact your life.

November 30, 2009

USCIS has informed that employers may still file petitions for H-2B temporary nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal 2010, though filings continue to increase in this category as well. USCIS has received filings for 24,706 H-2B beneficiaries for the first half of the fiscal year. USCIS has determined that it will need to receive filings for 47,000 cap subject H-2B petition beneficiaries in order to reach the 33,000 half-year cap.

Latest H-2B Cap Count

November 16, 2009

USCIS has recently informed that, as of November 6, it has received 22,428 H-2B petitions. Of these, 20,937 H-2B petitions have been approved and 1,491 are pending. Employers can still file cap-subject H-2B temporary nonagricultural work petitions for employment start dates through March 31, 2010, the first half of the current fiscal year.

H-2B Still Available

November 14, 2009

USCIS has recently informed that, as of November 6, it has received 21,327 H-2B petitions. Of these, 19,736 H-2B petitions have been approved and 1,591 are pending. Employers can still file cap-subject H-2B temporary nonagricultural work petitions for employment start dates through March 31, 2010, the first half of the current fiscal year.

H-2B Count for Fiscal Year 2010

November 5, 2009

USCIS has recently updated the count of H-2B visa for the first half of the fiscal year 2010. As of October 30, 2009, USCIS has approved 18,885 petitions, out of total 21,154 H-2B petitions.

H-2B Still Available for FY2010 Employment

October 3, 2009

The USCIS has updated the count of the H-2B visas received and counted towards the fiscal year 2010 employment. As of September 25, 2009, USCIS has received 19, 943 H-2B petitions, out of which 16,550 H-2B petitions have been approved while 3,393 more petitions are still pending.

H-2B Visas Still Available for Second Half of FY2009 and First Half of FY2010

September 8, 2009

The USCIS has recently updated the count of H-2B visa received and counted towards the FY2010 employment. On August 6, 2009 USCIS announced that it had reopened the filing period for fiscal year 2009. There are still visas available for the second half of fiscal year 2009. However, these petitions must be filed and adjudicated by 30 September 2009. Therefore, there is little time in which to apply. USCIS is currently accepting petitions for the 2nd half of fiscal year 2009 and the 1st half of fiscal year 2010.

DOL Announces Public Briefings on Using the New H-2B Temporary Labor Certification

August 26, 2009

DOL will hold two public briefings in Boston and Chicago on using the new H-2B temporary labor certification process for occupations other than agriculture or registered nursing.

USCIS Reopens FY 2009 H-2B Cap Filing Period

August 7, 2009

USCIS announced that it has reopened the H-2B filing for fiscal year 2009 and will immediately accept new H-2B petitions. USCIS reopened the fiscal year 2009 H-2B filing period because far less than the annual quota of H-2B visas has been used for this year. The H-2B filing period for fiscal year 2009 ends on September 30, 2009.

DOL FAQs on Temporary Labor Certifications in the Entertainment Industry

July 1, 2009

On June 19, 2009 the DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification released FAQs regarding implementation of final H-2B regulations for temporary labor certifications in the entertainment industry.

Reid: We'll Fight For Immigration Reform This Year

June 9, 2009

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Thursday he would work to pass comprehensive immigration reform this year, adding to an already busy congressional agenda.

Senate Reid is promising immigration will be one of three major legislative priorities this year (the other two are health care reform and energy). Speaking at a press conference about Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor, Reid identified immigration, health care and climate-change reform as the three main policy goals of Congress.