U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the second half of FY 2009 and that Jan. 7, 2009 was the “final receipt date” for new H-2B worker petitions requesting employment start dates prior to October 1, 2009. Petitions for new H-2B workers seeking employment start dates prior to October 1, 2009 that arrive after Jan. 7, 2009 will be rejected, USCIS says.

The H-2B visa category allows U.S. employers in industries with peak load, seasonal or intermittent needs to augment their existing labor force with temporary workers. The H-2B visa category also allows U.S. employers to augment their existing labor force when necessary due to a one-time occurrence which necessitates a temporary increase in workers. Typically, H-2B workers fill labor needs in occupational areas such as construction, health care, landscaping, lumber, manufacturing, food service/processing, and resort/hospitality services.