Divyanshu G 
(C): X
On January 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) jointly announced a temporary final rule authorizing up to 64,716 additional H-2B nonagricultural visas for the remainder of the fiscal year. This strategic boost is aimed at helping the U.S. employers who are in an irreparably bad state in terms of the seasonal labor deficiency. Among these additional slots 46,226 are to be occupied by returning workers of the preceding three fiscal years, and 18,490 by workers of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti. The tremendous growth offers much needed respite to the hospitality, landscaping and seafood processing industries.
Allocation of H-2B nonagricultural visas for 2026
These visas are being issued by the departments in three tranches so that the businesses which have different points of time in which they start their operations can get the required workforce. The initial tranche is to cater to early-season requirements beginning in January, and a second tranche is to cover the spring peak. The last distribution would be composed of those workers in late season that would begin in May up to September so that it would cover more of the economy of the U.S. during the months of high demand.
Eligibility for the H-2B supplemental visas
The employers wishing to avail these particular slots have to attest formally that they will lose a lot of money without the capacity to hire these temporary employees. They should also prove that they have no qualified U.S. employees who can occupy the positions. This year’s H-2B supplemental visas emphasize protecting the domestic labor market while addressing the urgent demands of the seasonal workforce.
Impact on the FY 2026 H-2B cap
By nearly doubling the initial statutory FY 2026 H-2B cap of 66,000, the administration aims to stabilize supply chains and support small businesses. According to the stakeholders, petitions are to be filed, urgently and via the USCIS lockbox because the demand is at an all-time high.
