H-2B: summary, tools, and updates

Summary

Temporary non-agricultural workers for seasonal, peak-load, or one-time need.

Temporary non-agricultural (H-2B) workers: returning worker provisions and caps.

What this topic is

Temporary non-agricultural workers for seasonal, peak-load, or one-time need.

Most work visas are employer-specific: you can only work for the petitioner listed on the approved petition. A new employer generally needs to file their own petition before you can start.

The feed below lists dated items we have tagged for this topic. Informational only, not legal advice: confirm requirements on official government sites before you rely on anything here.

Activity · daily, last 90 days

2 indexed updates

Mar 19, 2026 → Jun 16, 2026 · 90 days

Policy climate · last 90 days

Tone of coverage

100% neutral

Based on 2 indexed updates in the last 90 days

Last 90 days

What matters for H-2B

Highest-signal items for H-2B from roughly the last three months, when we have enough coverage (impact, open comments, fees, or processing shifts).

Published USCIS
Lottery / selection
Cap Reached for Second Allocation of Returning Worker H-2B Visas for Fiscal Year 2026
USCIS has reached the cap for the second allocation of H-2B visas for fiscal year 2026, with 27,736 visas reserved for returning workers whose employment starts April 1–30, 2026. This allocation filled under the H-2B supplemental cap temporary final rule. Employers seeking H-2B…
Published Fed. Register
Fees
Labor Certification Process for the Temporary Employment of H-2A and H-2B Foreign Workers in the United States: Annual Update to Allowable Monetary Charges for Agricultural Workers' Meals and for Travel Subsistence Reimbursement, Including Lodging
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced annual updates to allowable meal charges and travel subsistence reimbursement amounts for H-2A and H-2B temporary agricultural and nonagricultural workers. Employers must comply with the updated minimum and maximum reimbursement rates…
Published USCIS
Processing
USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2026 and Filing Dates Now Available for Supplemental Visa Allocations
USCIS announced that the statutory cap for H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the second half of fiscal year 2026 has been reached. Filing dates are now available for supplemental visa allocations, which provide additional visa numbers beyond the regular cap.…

SentimentAll Positive Negative Neutral

Updates

Latest updates

All items tagged for H-2B, newest first. Open a row for the summary and source.

DATESUBTOPICTITLETONE

Neu

H-2B

Cap Reached for Second Allocation of Returning Worker H-2B Visas for Fiscal Year 2026

USCIS has reached the cap for the second allocation of H-2B visas for fiscal year 2026, with 27,736 visas reserved for returning workers whose employment starts April 1–30, 2026. This allocation filled under the H-2B supplemental cap…

Lottery / selection

USCIS

H-2BCap Reached for Second Allocation of Returning Worker H-2B Visas for Fiscal Year 2026

Lottery / selection

USCIS

Neu

H-2A

Labor Certification Process for the Temporary Employment of H-2A and H-2B Foreign Workers in the United States: Annual Update to Allowable Monetary Charges for Agricultural Workers' Meals and for Travel Subsistence Reimbursement, Including Lodging

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced annual updates to allowable meal charges and travel subsistence reimbursement amounts for H-2A and H-2B temporary agricultural and nonagricultural workers. Employers must comply with the updated…

Fees

Fed. Register

H-2ALabor Certification Process for the Temporary Employment of H-2A and H-2B Foreign Workers in the United States: Annual Update to Allowable Monetary Charges for Agricultural Workers' Meals and for Travel Subsistence Reimbursement, Including Lodging

Fees

Fed. Register

Neu

H-2B

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2026 and Filing Dates Now Available for Supplemental Visa Allocations

USCIS announced that the statutory cap for H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the second half of fiscal year 2026 has been reached. Filing dates are now available for supplemental visa allocations, which provide additional…

Processing

USCIS

H-2BUSCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2026 and Filing Dates Now Available for Supplemental Visa Allocations

Processing

USCIS

Neu

H-2B

Agency Information Collection Activities for H-2B Foreign Labor Certification Program; Comment Request

The Department of Labor is requesting public comments on proposed changes to the H-2B Foreign Labor Certification Program's information collection requirements, including updates to forms ETA-9142B and related documentation. The revision…

Open for commentsProposed rule

Fed. Register

H-2BAgency Information Collection Activities for H-2B Foreign Labor Certification Program; Comment Request

Open for commentsProposed rule

Fed. Register

Neu

H-2B

Cap Reached for First Allocation of Returning Worker H-2B Visas FY 2026

The H-2B visa cap for returning workers in the first allocation of fiscal year 2026 (January–March start dates) has been reached, with 18,490 visas now allocated. USCIS received enough petitions to hit the cap under the supplemental cap…

High impactFinal rule

USCIS

H-2BCap Reached for First Allocation of Returning Worker H-2B Visas FY 2026

High impactFinal rule

USCIS

Neu

Pos

H-2B

Exercise of Time-Limited Authority To Increase the Fiscal Year 2026 Numerical Limitation for the H-2B Temporary Nonagricultural Worker Program

The Department of Homeland Security is exercising time-limited authority to allocate an additional 64,716 H-2B visas for fiscal year 2026, available exclusively to American businesses facing permanent and severe financial loss or impending…

High impact

Fed. Register

H-2BExercise of Time-Limited Authority To Increase the Fiscal Year 2026 Numerical Limitation for the H-2B Temporary Nonagricultural Worker Program

High impact

Fed. Register

Pos

Neu

H-2B

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of Fiscal Year 2026

USCIS announced that it has received enough H-2B petitions to reach the congressionally established cap for the first half of fiscal year 2026. The final receipt date for new cap-subject petitions requesting an employment start date before…

High impact

USCIS

H-2BUSCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of Fiscal Year 2026

High impact

USCIS

Neu

Neg

H-2B

Cap Reached for Additional Returning Worker H-2B Visas for the Early Second Half of FY 2025

The supplemental H-2B visa cap for returning workers in FY 2025 has been reached; USCIS received enough petitions to exhaust the 19,000 additional visas available for workers with start dates April 1–May 14, 2025. Employers seeking H-2B…

High impactProcessing

USCIS

H-2BCap Reached for Additional Returning Worker H-2B Visas for the Early Second Half of FY 2025

High impactProcessing

USCIS

Neg

Neu

H-2B

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2025 and Filing Dates Now Available for Supplemental Visas

USCIS announced that the statutory cap for H-2B visas in the second half of FY 2025 has been reached. Filing dates for supplemental H-2B visas for the remainder of FY 2025 are now available. Employers seeking H-2B workers should act…

High impactProcessing

USCIS

H-2BUSCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2025 and Filing Dates Now Available for Supplemental Visas

High impactProcessing

USCIS

Neu

Work visas

H-1B Final Rule, H-2 Final Rule, and Revised Form I-129 Effective Jan. 17, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security's final rules for the H-1B and H-2 nonimmigrant visa programs take effect on Jan. 17, 2025, alongside a revised Form I-129. These rules modernize requirements for employers and workers in both programs.…

High impactFinal rule

USCIS

Work visasH-1B Final Rule, H-2 Final Rule, and Revised Form I-129 Effective Jan. 17, 2025

High impactFinal rule

USCIS

Neu

H-2B

Cap Reached for Additional Returning Worker H-2B Visas for the First Half of FY 2025

USCIS has received enough H-2B petitions to reach the supplemental cap of 20,716 additional visas for returning workers in the first half of fiscal year 2025. These visas are for workers with start dates on or before March 31, 2025. No new…

High impactProcessing

USCIS

H-2BCap Reached for Additional Returning Worker H-2B Visas for the First Half of FY 2025

High impactProcessing

USCIS

Neu

Work visas

USCIS to Publish Revised Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker

USCIS is publishing a revised Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) on January 17, 2025, to reflect changes from the recently finalized H-1B and H-2 modernization rules. Employers filing nonimmigrant worker petitions should use…

Final ruleProcessing

USCIS

Work visasUSCIS to Publish Revised Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker

Final ruleProcessing

USCIS

Neu

Pos

H-2B

DHS, DOL Make Nearly 65,000 Additional H-2B Visas Available for Fiscal Year 2025

DHS and DOL released a temporary final rule making 64,716 additional H-2B temporary worker visas available for fiscal year 2025, beyond the normal statutory cap. This emergency allocation is intended to address labor shortages in…

Final rule

USCIS

H-2BDHS, DOL Make Nearly 65,000 Additional H-2B Visas Available for Fiscal Year 2025

Final rule

USCIS

Pos

Neu

H-2A

DHS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs

DHS announced the list of countries whose nationals are eligible for the H-2A (agricultural) and H-2B (nonagricultural temporary worker) visa programs for the next 12 months. This annual eligibility designation affects which nationalities…

Update

USCIS

H-2ADHS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs

Update

USCIS

Neu

H-2B

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of Fiscal Year 2025

USCIS reached the congressionally set cap for H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the first half of fiscal year 2025 on September 18, 2024. Employers seeking to bring in H-2B workers for positions starting before April 1, 2025…

High impactLottery / selection

USCIS

H-2BUSCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of Fiscal Year 2025

High impactLottery / selection

USCIS

Neu

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Tools

Official resources

Filing, fees, appointments, and case status. Government sites only; confirm details before you file.

USCIS processing times
Current wait times for I-129 petitions, extensions, and amendments.
USCIS fee schedule
Confirm filing fees before submitting any petition.
DOL iCERT portal (LCA)
File and track Labor Condition Applications for H-1B and H-1B1.
USCIS case status
Look up pending petitions using your receipt number.
Visa appointment wait times
State Department consular wait time estimates by post.

Guides and reference

Cross-check eligibility and forms on official sites before filing.

USCIS
Forms, fees, policy manual, and filing instructions.
Travel.State.gov: U.S. visas
Visa classes, reciprocity, and consular processing overview.
Federal Register (immigration)
Proposed and final agency rules.