US EditionTrump Administration to Release 65,000 Extra H-2B Guest Worker Visas to Ease Labour Shortages
The Trump administration is doubling the usual H-2B visa allocation to 65,000 for 2026 to help seasonal employers facing labor shortages, according to a Federal Register notice.
- President Donald Trump's administration will add some 65,000 H-2B seasonal guest worker visas through September 30, 2026, as a temporary rule published in the Federal Register on January 27, 2026, said.
- Facing severe labour shortages, U.S. seasonal employers in hotels and seasonal businesses pushed for more visas to avoid severe financial hardship.
- The move roughly doubles the 66,000 visas normally available each year, targeting construction, hospitality, landscaping, and seafood processing sectors.
- The move has drawn backlash from immigration opponents and legal challengers, as groups advocating lower levels of immigration argue it undercuts wages for U.S. workers and technology companies contest the $100,000 fee on the H-1B program.
- Amid a broader crackdown since 2025, the administration expanded visas following precedent set under former President Joe Biden and the 2017-2021 Trump administration, including travel bans and asylum reviews.
18 Articles
18 Articles
U.S. to add 65,000 seasonal guest worker visas for 2026
The move doubles the 66,000 visas available each year to businesses such as construction, hospitality, landscaping and seafood processing, in a recognition that U.S. employers in those industries could be struggling to find workers
The Epoch Times
The Political InsiderTrump Administration to Double Guest Worker Visas for 2026
The Trump administration will add approximately 65,000 H-2B seasonal guest worker visas for fiscal year 2026, nearly doubling the program’s historical annual allocation to assist U.S. employers facing labor shortages, according to a federal notice. The policy follows similar expansions of the visa program under President Joe Biden. The temporary rule, which went into effect on Jan. 30, will make the additional visas available to businesses in in…
Trump administration continues tough anti-immigration policies
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