US to Issue 65,000 Additional H-2B Visas Amid Labor Shortages

The administration of Donald Trump will make an additional 65,000 H-2B seasonal guest worker visas available through September 30, according to a Federal Register notice, aiming to support employers facing severe financial hardship due to a shortage of U.S. workers. The move nearly doubles the standard annual allocation of 66,000 visas and is expected to benefit industries such as construction, hospitality, landscaping, and seafood processing, where businesses say labor gaps have intensified.

The decision comes even as the Trump administration continues a broad immigration crackdown following his return to office in 2025, tightening both unauthorized and certain legal immigration pathways. Despite this tougher stance, seasonal business groups — including hotel operators and construction firms — have urged the government to expand the H-2B program, arguing that domestic worker shortages threaten operations. Visa caps under the program had also been temporarily raised during the presidency of Joe Biden, as well as during earlier periods of Trump’s 2017–2021 term.

However, the expansion faces criticism from groups advocating lower immigration levels, who argue such visas can suppress wages for American workers. At the same time, the administration has tightened rules in other employment visa categories, including the H-1B program used by tech firms, where a newly imposed $100,000 fee has sparked legal challenges. The temporary rule authorizing the added H-2B visas is set for formal publication in the Federal Register on Tuesday.

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