H2B Visa
The H-2B nonimmigrant program permits employers to hire foreign workers to come to the U.S. and perform temporary nonagricultural work, which may be one-time, seasonal, peak load or intermittent. There is a 66,000 per year limit on the number of foreign workers who may receive H-2B status during each USCIS fiscal year (October through September). These visas are distributed in two increments of 33,000, the first being for the employment period beginning April 1st and the second being for the period beginning October 1st. The earliest a business can file for H-2B visas is 120 days before the foreign workers are to begin employment. Due to the high demand for these visas and the lengthy processing time involved (3 to 4 months), employers are strongly advised to begin the process as soon as they are allowed to do so.
