US visas available for temporary workers
August 07 2009 by Rebekah Nahai
Extra US visas for temp workers
The US government has re-opened the filing period for employers who want to hire workers from overseas.
The recession and high unemployment levels in the US have led to a significant decrease in H-2B visa applications. Applications for the work-based residency visas, which allow foreign workers to live and work in the US, have seen a massive decline since 2007.
Nearly 235,000 applications were filed in 2007 but only 36,000 have been filed in the first eight months of 2009. Competition for work-based green cards is normally fierce, with a government cap of 66,000 visas per fiscal year.
The H-2B visas are intended for foreign employees who move to the US to fill temporary non-agricultural positions, such as in hospitality, construction, health care, and food service.
The government is encouraging employers to file more applications for foreign workers. The filing period will be open until September, when the fiscal year ends.
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