The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor will be issuing a regulation that will make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available to employers for fiscal year (FY) 2023, on top of the 66,000 H-2B visas that are normally available each fiscal year, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association reported in a release Thursday. By making these supplemental visas available at the outset of the fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, 2022, those in the horse industry, such as trainers, who rely heavily on the H-2B visa program to fill various backside positions, will be able to better address some of their labor needs this fiscal year.
“While this is good news for the industry, a permanent solution must be put in place to ensure our industry has a sufficient and reliable labor pool going forward,” said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. “We will continue to engage Congress and the Administration to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform that will provide long-term solutions.”
The H-2B program permits employers to temporarily hire noncitizens to perform nonagricultural labor or services in the United States. The employment must be of a temporary nature, such as a one-time occurrence, seasonal need, or intermittent need.
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