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On Friday afternoon, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) finalized the FY 2026 Supplemental H-2B Visa Rule, authorizing up to 64,716 additional visas for the fiscal year. This marks a notable increase from the original DHS announcement of 35,000, which had indicated a more limited supplemental release earlier in the year. The final rule expands visa availability to better meet employer demand and address seasonal labor shortages. FRA, together with its partners on this issue, worked with members of Congress and the administration to allocate the full number of visas permitted under the provisions of the DHS spending bill continuing resolution.
A total of 18,490 supplemental H-2B visas will be available for employers with worker start dates between January 1 and March 31, 2026, which is crucial as most forestry workers are needed early in the first half of the federal fiscal year. This represents a significant benefit for forestry operations that depend on H-2B workers for tasks such as tree planting and fuels management.
The remaining visas will be released later in the year: 27,736 for April 1–30, 2026 start dates, and 18,496 for May 1–September 30, 2026.
Tim O’Hara
FRA President
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