DHS to Issue 35,000 Additional H-2B Visas
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the forthcoming publication of a joint temporary final rule making available an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the second half of fiscal year 2022. These additional visas will be set aside for U.S. employers seeking to employ additional workers on or after April 1 through Sept. 30, 2022.
H-2B visas allow employers to hire foreign workers who come temporarily to the United States and perform temporary non-agricultural services or labor — including construction work — on a one-time, seasonal, peak-load or intermittent basis.
The supplemental H-2B visa allocation consists of 13,500 visas available only to returning workers who received an H-2B visa, or were otherwise granted H-2B status, during one of the last three fiscal years. The remaining 11,500 visas, which are exempt from the returning worker requirement, are reserved for nationals of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador (collectively called the Northern Triangle), as well as nationals from Haiti.
How to File
Once the temporary final rule has been published, eligible employers seeking cap-subject H-2B workers can file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, seeking additional H-2B workers. They must submit a confirmation with their petition to demonstrate their business is suffering irreparable harm or will suffer impending irreparable harm without a supplemental workforce.
More information
Additional details on eligibility and filing requirements will be available in the temporary final rule and the Cap Count for H-2B Nonimmigrants webpage.
Latest from NAHBNow
Oct 06, 2025
Make Fire Prevention Part of Your Jobsite Safety CultureOctober 5-11 is National Fire Prevention Week, an annual public outreach and awareness campaign by the National Fire Protection Association.
Oct 03, 2025
NAHB's Monthly Update Features Government Shutdown Talking PointsThe update provides the latest messaging framework to help members articulate housing priorities and latest news related to the recent government shutdown and new tariffs.
Latest Economic News
Oct 03, 2025
Supply-Side Cost Pressures Drove Housing as Inflation Leader in 2024Though the rate of inflation peaked in June 2022, consumer prices continued to increase throughout 2023 and 2024 as inflation drove further price growth, according to 2024 CPI review from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Oct 02, 2025
Square Foot Prices Moderate in 2024Median square foot prices for new single-family detached (SFD) homes started in 2024 grew modestly, according to NAHB’s analysis of the latest Survey of Construction (SOC) data. For custom, or contractor-built, homes, the median price was $166 per square foot of floor space, up slightly from $162 in 2023.
Oct 02, 2025
17% of NAHB Builders Built Age-Restricted Housing in 2024Only 17% of NAHB builder members build age-restricted housing for people age 55 or older, according to 2024 Member Census. This is up two percentage points from the previous year. However, this share has remained within a narrow band (15%-17%) since the question was added to the member census in 2009.