The Online Weekly Community Newspaper of Associations, CVBs, and Hotels
AHLA Applauds H-2B Visa Expansions for 2025
By Jordan Bradley
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on November 15 that it will increase the number of H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas it will issue in fiscal year 2025 by an additional 64,716 visas.
Annually, the DOH issues 66,000 of the visas. The department said the increase will “help address the need for seasonal workers and reduce irregular migration” in the hospitality and tourism, construction, landscaping, seafood processing and other industries throughout the United States.
“The Department of Homeland Security is committed to further growing our nation’s strong economy,” said Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security. “By maximizing the use of the H-2B visa program, the Department of Homeland Security is helping to ensure the labor needs of American businesses are met, keeping prices down for consumers while strengthening worker protections and deterring irregular migration to the United States.”
The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) released a statement in support of the additional visas, noting that it will benefit the hotel industry.
“AHLA applauds DHS for announcing this important, sizeable increase in the number of H-2B visas, which will make it easier for small business hoteliers to access the seasonal workers they need,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA’s President and CEO.
The AHLA said the visas are “vital” for helping independent and small hotel owners fill seasonal roles during busy periods, but the number of visas distributed annually are “arbitrarily capped.”
“As chair of the H-2B Workforce Coalition, we welcome this decision, while urging Congress to step in and create a more predictable system based on the need for workers instead of the arbitrary, outdated H-2B visa caps in place today,” Maietta added. “We look forward to working with members of Congress to achieve just that.”
In September, the U.S. Travel Association noted that the September job report from the U.S. Labor of Statistics highlighted more than a million jobs openings in the leisure and hospitality sectors.
The report highlighted job growth in travel, and the expansion of “the H-2B visa program should be a priority to support the small and seasonal businesses that depend on temporary workers to meet the strong demand for travel,” according to Geoff Freeman, President of the U.S. Travel Association.
Want more content like this? Subscribe for full access to USAE.