H-2B cap hit again |
Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:58 AM |
From Laurie Flanagan and Brian Crawford, H-2B Workforce Coalition Co-Chairs: On June 5, USCIS re-opened H-2B processing after determining that the 66,000 annual H-2B cap had not been met. USCIS then stopped processing most H-2B visa petitions on June 11 after determining that the cap was reached. This latest development makes Congressional action even more essential. You can read the USCIS announcement at: http://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/cap-count-h-2b-nonimmigrants. Appropriations Bills Congress is now in the process of drafting fiscal 2016 funding measures for the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor. It is essential that the H-2B program be addressed through the appropriations process because funding bills are some of few of the bills that must make it to the President’s desk this year. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security approved the fiscal 2016 funding bill yesterday. The bill text is not yet available. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies approved its funding bill this morning. Currently the legislation includes a provision that would provide for staggered crossing for H-2B workers. You can view the text of the legislation at: http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/bills-114hr-sc-ap-fy2016-laborhhs-subcommitteedraft.pdf. Generally amendments and changes to the appropriations bills come during full committee consideration. As you know, the H-2B Workforce Coalition has requested that an H-2B returning worker exemption be included the in the DHS funding measure and that the new wage and comprehensive H-2B regulations be addressed in the DOL funding measure. The H2B coalition has sent letter to the hill outlining these requests. Returning Worker Legislation Introduced Your Help is Needed!
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Previously on the LAB: |