Annual, recurring costs include:
- $2,050 visa petition application fee charged by U.S. ...
- $190 per worker fee charged by State Department for ‘machine readable visas’ (MRVs) and $6 border crossing fee
- $50-130 or more per worker agent fees if a third party is utilized to recruit or coordinate the visa application process for H-2B foreign workers (rates vary by agent)
How can I apply for a H2B visa?
Your H2B visa application must include the following documents:
- DOS Form DS-160, Nonimmigrant Visa Application
- A copy of your passport which is valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay in the U.S. ...
- A color photograph showing full face without head covering against a light background. ...
- Proof that you meet the minimum job requirements stated in the labor certification application
How long is the processing for the H2B visa?
How long does it take to process a H2B visa? Currently, the H-2B Application process can take more than 6 months to complete and the process is broken up into several steps. Each step is dependent upon the successful completion of the prior step.
Can I hire workers under the H2B visa?
Yes. The H-2B visa program allows you to supplement your existing labor force with temporary foreign workers. Businesses experiencing peak load, seasonal or intermittent increases may make use of this program. Please clarify the difference between seasonal and peak-load. Why do companies hire expatriates? Why do companies hire expatriates?
What is the fee for a H1B visa?
- Registration fee: $10
- Standard (Basic Filing) Fee: The standard (basic) H-1B filing fee is $460 for the I-129 petition. ...
- American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA) Training Fee: For employers who have between 1-25 full-time workers, the ACWIA training fee is $750. ...
How long is an H-2B visa good for?
3 yearsThe maximum period of stay in H-2B classification is 3 years. A person who has held H-2B nonimmigrant status for a total of 3 years must depart and remain outside the United States for an uninterrupted period of 3 months before seeking readmission as an H-2B nonimmigrant.
How long does it take to get H-2B visa?
between 60 days to 120 daysH2B Visa Processing Time Visas are typically processed between 60 days to 120 days. Applicants submitting on 1st January are given visas so that they can start working in the US from June.
Is H-2B visa free?
The H-2B visa costs include a filing fee paid by the employer for the I-129 Petition of Nonimmigrant Worker. At the U.S. consulate, you will need to pay a visa application fee. For the latest amount, see the Fees for Visa Services page of the State Department website.
Who pays H-2B visa?
The employerThe employer must either pay or reimburse the H-2B worker in the first workweek for any visa, visa processing, and other related fees incurred by the worker. But an employer need not pay passport or other charges primarily for the benefit of the worker.
How long can H-2B workers stay?
The H-2B classification allows for a maximum stay of three years. A person who has held H-2B nonimmigrant status for a total of three years must leave the United States for three months before applying for readmission as an H-2B nonimmigrant.
Why would a H-2B visa be denied?
Failure to prove their nonimmigrant intent will result in a refusal of a visa under Section 214(b). The most frequent basis for such a refusal concerns the requirement that the prospective visitor or student possess a residence abroad he/she has no intention of abandoning.
Who hires H-2B workers?
employersAn H-2B visa is a type of work visa that allows employers to hire temporary workers who are foreigners to fill temporary nonagricultural job positions such as Landscaping, grounds maintenance, construction, restaurant/hospitality, maintenance, golf, manufacturing, processing, and other specialty services firms.
Can H-2B workers have 2 jobs?
You cannot have a second job. You can only work for the employer who filed for H-2B. Working a second job would be a violation of your H-2B non-immigrant visa...
Can I work two jobs on a H-2B visa?
“H-1A visa transfers” is a misnomer because the worker visa is not transferable between two companies. However, employees with a visa can change jobs during their stay.
How much does a H-2B petition cost?
$5,500.00 to $6,500.00The total costs and fees are estimated at $5,500.00 to $6,500.00 per labor certification and petition filing, including expenses for recruitment, courier services and copy expenses, regardless of the number of workers requested.
How do I apply for H-2B?
Now, let's look at how to file the H2B visaStep 1: Begin and complete a labor certification application. As a petitioner who is also an employer, you request an H2B visa. ... Step 2: Submit the form I-129 to the USCIS service center. ... Step 3: Alien workers apply for a visa at the US embassy.
How much does it cost to sponsor an employee America?
Petitioning for foreign workers in the H-1B and permanent employment-based visa sponsorship processes can be an expensive. Sponsoring a nonimmigrant employee for the H-1B can cost anywhere between $1,250 to $4,500 in filing fees alone, not including fees paid to attorneys to facilitate the process.
What is the Temporary Labor Certification?
Before the USCIS approves your Form 1-129, your H2B sponsor must provide evidence about the position. To this end, your company must obtain valid T...
How does the H2B Visa Program cap work?
Every year, the number of foreign workers who wish to enter the U.S. for a temporary job increases significantly. However, the USCIS has set a cap...
How much does the H2-B Visa cost?
The H2B Visa cost is the same as all the other Temporary Employment permits, that is $190. Please, note that, under the U.S. Immigration Law, no ag...
What can an H-2B Visa holder do while in the US?
While in the U.S. on an H2B Visa, you can undertake short periods of study. However, you cannot engage in full-time activities that may interfere w...
Can IAS help me apply for the H2B Visa Program?
The H-2B Visa is valid only for temporary jobs. In other words, if you wish to seek continuous and permanent employment in the U.S., this is not th...
What are the H2B Visa requirements?
Before you can file your petition, you must find a U.S.-based sponsor and receive an offer to perform a temporary job. Moreover, you must meet the following H2B Visa requirements:
What is an H-2B visa?
The H-2B Visa allows US employers to hire migrant workers to fill temporary non-agricultural roles in the US.
What is the processing time for an H2B Visa?
Your journey through your H2B Visa Program begins when your U.S. sponsor submits a Form I-129 to the USCIS. However, your employer must first obtain a Temporary Labor Certification from the Department of Labor. By doing this, your company establishes that there are no U.S. workers available to fill that position.
How long will my H2B Visa last?
Generally, the USCIS will grant your H2B Visa for up to the period your employer requires your service .
How long does it take to get an H2B visa?
As a general rule, your H2B Visa sponsor can file the request a minimum of 60 days, but no more than 120 days, before your services are needed.
What is an I-129 form?
To be eligible, you must receive a formal offer from an U.S.-based employer. Your company must then file a Form I -129 (Petition for Non-immigrant Worker) on your behalf. Every fiscal year, the USCIS sets a statutory numerical limit on the total number of H-2B visas that can be issued.
How many petitions are approved in the first half of the year?
Of these, 33,000 petitions are approved in the first half of the year (from October 1 to March 31). Any available permit from the first period of the year will be accessible for workers seeking entrance from April to September. However, unissued visas from one fiscal year cannot be carried over into the next.
Employment-Based Immigration
The H-2B program, also known as a guest worker visa program, permits employers to hire foreign workers to come to the United States and perform temporary nonagricultural services on a one-time, seasonal, peak load, or intermittent basis.
What Does the H-2B Visa Mean in Practice?
The H-2B visa category is quite broad in terms of the type of temporary nonagricultural occupations that can qualify for H-2B status. About half of all H-2B visa temporary workers are employed as landscapers, groundskeepers, and forestry workers.
Duration of Stay
An H-2B visa holder can be granted a term of stay up to nine months (up to a year for “one-time occurrences”). Under the right circumstances, the period of stay of a temporary worker can be extended up to three years, although this is an unusual case. Each H-2B visa extension typically lasts for one year.
Eligibility Requirements for H-2B Classification
To qualify for an H-2B visa, your employer must meet certain requirements, and you must also meet certain requirements.
Approval Process
For most H-2B visa applicants, the approval process is a three-step process – one step for the labor certification application, one step for approval by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the US Department of Homeland Security, and one step for a US embassy or consulate abroad to issue an H-2B temporary visa.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
As of January 2021, the USCIS processing fee for an H-2B petition is $460. If you need to apply for a US visa at an embassy or consulate abroad, the visa fee is $190. Certain other fees might apply, depending on your nationality.
The Visa Cap
H-2B visa status is subject to an annual quota of 66,000 approvals – 33,000 H-2B visas for employment from October 1 to March 31, and 33,000 H- 2B visas for employment from April 1 to September 30. The H-2B visa is popular—in fact, the visa cap is usually filled every fiscal year.
How much does the H-2B visa cost in 2022?
The cost of processing the H-2B visa for the worker is $ 190. That is what the DS-160 visa application form costs. While the form I-129 (for the Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee) has a cost of $ 150.
How to process an H-2-B visa in 2022?
Like other employment-based US visas, an H-2B visa requires a prior petition. Other sponsored employment visas are the H2-A visa, L-1 visas, O visa, P visa and the Q visa.
How long do you have to notify USCIS of H-2A?
Petitioners must notify USCIS of an H-2A worker’s payment or agreement to pay prohibited fees to a recruiter, facilitator, or similar employment service within 2 workdays of gaining knowledge of such payment or agreement.
Can a H-2B family member work in the US?
Any H-2B worker's spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age may seek admission in H-4 nonimmigrant classification. Family members are not eligible for employment in the United States while in H-4 status. Employment-Related Notifications to USCIS.
Can a H-2B spouse be a H-4?
Any H-2B worker's spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age may seek admission in H-4 nonimmigrant classification. Family members are not eligible for employment in the United States while in H-4 status.
Is there an exemption for H-2B in Guam?
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY 2018 NDAA) created an exemption for certain H-2B peti tioners on Guam and in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) from the requirement to show that the need for a worker is temporary. This exemption has been extended and amended by subsequent NDAAs. Volume 2, Part I, Chapter 11 of the USCIS Policy Manual provides additional information and guidance on qualifying for the exemption.
How much does it cost to get a diversity visa?
There are not many fees for the diversity visa except for the application or sign-up fee. This fee is 330.00 USD and must be paid before submitting the application online.
When are fees not necessary for US nonimmigrant visas?
There are also instances where you do not have to pay a fee and that is in these situations:
What is a non-petition based visa?
Non-petition based visas are those that do not require an employer or someone from the US to petition for a person who wants to temporarily live in the US. The applicant can simply submit Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application and follow the usual steps of paying the fees, scheduling the interview, submitting supporting documents, and attending their interview.
What is a lottery visa?
The US Diversity Visa or Lottery is for those who want to try out their luck and see if they can get selected for a US immigrant visa by chance. The applicants sign up each period and the US institutions decide on how many winners of the visa to select annually. The usual period for signing up is during November and applications are then reviewed during the year.
What is an immigrant visa?
The US immigrant visas are those that allow a person to stay permanently in the US where they can live and work. The fees for the immigrant visas are for petitions as well as processing fees.
How much does an affidavit of support cost?
Another common fee for most immigrant visas is the Affidavit of Support, which costs 120.00 USD. The fee is paid from US citizen sponsors who can guarantee that they will support the applicant financially until they settle down and can work within the US.
What is reciprocity fee?
Reciprocity fees are costs that other countries have to pay depending on the relationship they have with the US, and vice versa when someone applies for visas.
What is an H-2B?
The H-2B nonimmigrant program permits employers to temporarily hire nonimmigrants to perform nonagricultural labor or services in the United States.The employment must be of a temporary nature for a limited period of time such as a one-time occurrence, seasonal need, peakload need or intermittent need. The H-2B program requires the employer ...
What is the wage and hour division?
The Wage and Hour Division has been delegated enforcement responsibility by the Department of Homeland Security effective January 18, 2009, to ensure H-2B workers are employed in compliance with H-2B labor certification requirements. The Wage and Hour Division may impose administrative remedies such as wage payments and civil money penalties against employers who violate certain H-2B provisions.