(José Niño, Headline USA) The Trump administration has sharply curtailed supplemental visas for seasonal workers, reducing allocations by nearly half compared to recent years, per a report by Newsweek. The move comes as industries nationwide grapple with persistent labor shortages and an exodus of immigrant workers from the economy.
The Department of Labor announced on December 31 that it would authorize 35,000 supplemental H-2B visas for fiscal year 2026. That figure represents a steep decline from the 64,716 supplemental visas issued annually under the Biden administration, which utilized the full discretionary authority granted by Congress.
The H-2B program enables U.S. employers to hire temporary foreign workers for seasonal positions when domestic labor proves insufficient. Industries ranging from hospitality to landscaping rely heavily on these allocations to maintain operations during peak periods.
Congress established a baseline cap of 66,000 H-2B visas annually, split evenly between fiscal year halves. Since 2017, lawmakers have authorized additional supplemental visas beyond that statutory limit, allowing the Department of Homeland Security and Labor Department to respond to market demands. Under this framework, total H-2B allocations previously reached approximately 130,716 annually.
“The Departments will focus these additional H-2B visas, nearly a 50 percent reduction in the total supplemental visas released as compared to FY 2023-2025, to support American businesses with seasonal or temporary workforce needs in critical infrastructure sectors of the U.S. economy, such as seafood, forestry, hospitality and tourism, transportation, and manufacturing,” the DOL stated in its announcement.
Industry representatives expressed measured approval while pressing for systemic reforms. “AHLA applauds the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor for releasing thousands of additional H-2B visas,” said Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. “These visas will make it easier for small business hoteliers to access the seasonal workers they need, particularly in the face of ongoing staffing shortages. While we welcome this decision, we urge Congress and the Administration to create a more predictable system based on the need for workers instead of the arbitrary, outdated H-2B visa caps in place today.”
The Labor Department indicated a temporary final rule codifying the visa release will be published in coming weeks.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
