Home

Overview of H-2B Visa Program

The H-2B visa program, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Department of State, allows U.S. employers to hire foreign nationals for temporary non-agricultural jobs when there are not enough U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, and available. Unlike H-2A (which is limited to agriculture), H-2B covers a wide range of seasonal, peak-load, one-time, or intermittent non-agricultural work.

There is no fixed official list of H-2B-eligible jobs—eligibility depends on the employer’s temporary need and a certified labor market test showing insufficient U.S. workers. However, the DOL maintains data on certified job titles through the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system and annual disclosure reports.

Below is a comprehensive list of common H-2B job categories and examples, based on DOL certification data (FY 2023–2025), USCIS guidelines, and industry trends.

Key Job Categories Covered by H-2B

Hospitality & Tourism

Seasonal resort, hotel, and amusement park staffing during peak seasons.

Examples: Housekeepers, hotel front desk clerks, cooks/line cooks, servers, bartenders, amusement park ride operators, lifeguards, groundskeepers.

Landscaping & Groundskeeping

Maintenance of lawns, parks, golf courses, and commercial properties during spring/summer/fall.

Examples: Landscape laborers, lawn maintenance workers, tree trimmers, groundskeepers.

Construction & Specialty Trades

Temporary projects with defined start/end dates (e.g., post-hurricane rebuilding).

Examples: Carpenters, drywall installers, roofers, masons, tile setters, painters, welders. (Must prove one-time or peak-load need)

Seafood & Food Processing

Seasonal processing plants (e.g., crab picking in Maryland, fish filleting in Alaska).

Examples: Seafood processors, crab pickers, fish cutters, cannery workers.

Forestry & Reforestation

Tree planting, brush clearing, and wildfire recovery.

Examples: Tree planters, forestry laborers, brush clearers.

Resort & Recreational Facilities

Ski resorts (winter), beach resorts (summer), national parks.

Examples: Ski lift operators, snowmakers, beach attendants, recreation aides, concession workers.

Event & Entertainment Staffing

Temporary staffing for festivals, fairs, concerts, and sports events.

Examples: Stagehands, ticket takers, ushers, concession stand workers, event setup crew.

Meat, Poultry & Food Processing (Non-Seafood)

Seasonal surges in meatpacking or poultry plants.

Examples: Meat cutters, poultry processors, packaging line workers.

Janitorial & Cleaning Services

Peak-season cleaning for schools, offices, or resorts.

Examples: Janitors, commercial cleaners, window washers.

Stone, Tile & Marble Work

Specialty installation during construction booms.

Examples: Stone masons, terrazzo workers, marble setters.

Other Seasonal/Intermittent Roles

Any non-agricultural job with proven temporary need.

Examples: Warehouse workers (holiday surge), delivery drivers (peak retail), stadium vendors, carnival workers.

Key Eligibility Requirements

Temporary Need: Must be seasonal, peak-load, one-time occurrence, or intermittent. Permanent jobs are ineligible.
Labor Market Test: Employer must recruit U.S. workers first and prove none are available.
Wage Rule: Must pay the prevailing wage (higher than minimum wage in most cases).
Cap: 66,000 visas per fiscal year (33,000 per half), often supplemented with cap-exempt or additional allocations (e.g., 64,716 extra visas in FY 2024).

NOTES

The H-2B program is highly flexible—almost any non-agricultural job can qualify if the employer proves temporary need and no U.S. workers are available. Always verify specific job eligibility via a labor certification application.

Page updated

Report abuse