WASHINGTON, DC - Maryland Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD), who is an Acting Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, has announced that the Department of Homeland Security will be issuing a regulation that nearly doubles the amount of H-2B non-agricultural temporary visas for fiscal year (FY) 2023: 64,716 on top of the normally available 66,000.
Harris' Office says that the employment must be temporary, such as a one-time occurrence, seasonal need, or intermittent need.
If an employer wants to get non-citizen workers through H-2B visas, they have to take a series of steps to test the U.S. labor market, according to Harris' Office. They must also make sure that there are not enough U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, and available to perform the temporary work that they would be hiring a foreign worker to do. Also, employers must make sure that employing H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers, says Harris' Office.
“This announcement is welcome news for the many businesses across Maryland’s 1st District. The release of these additional visas will help many businesses in my district that rely on seasonal workers for the economic development of their operation," said Harris. "This announcement is also a direct result of the Harris/Pingree Appropriations amendment that allowed the DHS to release more workers based on their discretion. Despite this welcome news, this announcement should serve as a reminder as to why Congress should act quickly on the Returning Workers Exception Act that Rep. Cuellar (D-TX) and I put forward to permanently fix this annual labor problem.”
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD), also commented on the new regulation, saying that it is important for the staffing of Maryland's crab and seafood small businesses, a big part of their economy.
“Maryland’s seafood industry is powered by many Eastern Shore small businesses that process the crabs enjoyed across our region. That’s why it’s critical for the administration to work with us to help meet these businesses’ unique employment needs," said the Senators. "We are encouraged that DHS is working proactively to make the maximum number of H-2B visas available in the new fiscal year, while ensuring they are distributed in a manner that takes into account our Maryland businesses and their needs. At the same time, we will continue our efforts in Congress to develop a lasting solution that provides clearer, more certain rules of the road for our seafood businesses, while protecting the rights of workers."