As of August 13, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received enough petitions for returning workers to reach the additional 22,000 H-2B visas made available under the fiscal year (FY) 2021 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule. USCIS said it will reject and return any cap-subject petitions for H-2B returning workers received after August 13, along with any accompanying fees.
USCIS said it will continue to accept H-2B petitions for workers who are exempt from the congressionally mandated cap, including petitions for:
- Current H-2B workers in the United States who extend their stay, change employers, or change the terms and conditions of their employment;
- Fish roe processors, fish roe technicians, or supervisors of fish roe processing; and
- Workers performing labor or services in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands or Guam from November 28, 2009, until Dec. 31, 2029.
USCIS is also currently accepting cap-subject petitions for the first half of FY 2022 for employment start dates on or after October 1, 2021, and before April 1, 2022.
Details:
- USCIS alert, Aug. 19, 2021, https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-2b-non-agricultural-workers/temporary-increase-in-h-2b-nonimmigrant-visas-for-fy-2021
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