WASHINGTON: The Trump administration will make an additional 65,000 H-2B seasonal guest worker visas available through September 30, according to a notice in the Federal Register. The visas are intended for employers at risk of severe financial hardship due to labor shortages in industries such as construction, hospitality, landscaping and seafood processing.
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The move roughly doubles the standard annual allotment of 66,000 H-2B visas, providing temporary relief to businesses struggling to find workers amid tight labor markets. Employers in seasonal industries, particularly hotels and landscaping firms, have long lobbied for increased access to foreign labor, citing worker shortages during peak periods.
It’s official. @DHSgov and @USDOL have agreed to put low-wage Americans last by almost doubling the number of seasonal, non-agricultural foreign workers who can come into the US for jobs under the H-2B program. Adding 65,000 additional (on top of the regular annual cap of 66,000)… pic.twitter.com/DDk8oDJq84
— Immigration Accountability Project (@iaproject) January 30, 2026
The expansion follows a pattern seen in previous administrations. Former President Joe Biden and Trump during his 2017–2021 term also increased H-2B visa availability temporarily to meet industry demand.
The Trump administration has otherwise pursued a strict immigration agenda since returning to the White House in 2025, with broad crackdowns on unauthorized immigration and heightened restrictions on legal immigration, including travel bans and tighter oversight of refugee and asylum applications.
Groups advocating lower immigration levels have criticised the visa expansion, arguing it could depress wages for US workers. Meanwhile, tech companies continue to face stricter rules under Trump’s H-1B programme, which now includes a $100,000 fee per visa, prompting ongoing legal challenges.
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The temporary rule to implement the additional H-2B visas will be formally published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, making them accessible to eligible employers for the remainder of the fiscal year. Officials said the expansion is aimed at balancing workforce needs with economic pressures in seasonal industries.