USCIS has updated the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B programs for the coming year. The H-2A and H-2B programs allow U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural (H-2A) and non-agricultural (H-2B) positions for which U.S. workers are not available. A temporary position is considered a one-time occurrence, a seasonal need, a peak-load need, or an intermittent need.
Last year, USCIS approved 53 countries for the program. USCIS has added Haiti, Iceland, Montenegro, Spain and Switzerland. Effective today, nationals of these countries are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B programs:
Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Nauru, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay and Vanuatu.
Each country's designation is valid for one year from the date of publication. In certain cases, USCIS may approve H-2A and H-2B petitions for nationals of countries not on the list if it is determined to be in the interest of the United States.
Contact the Law Offices of Richard A. Gump, Jr. today to learn more about the H-2A and H-2B programs.
