The administration of US President Donald Trump will issue approximately 65,000 additional H-2B seasonal guest worker visas through September 30, according to a notice published in the Federal Register and reported by Reuters.
The expanded quota is aimed at helping employers facing severe financial hardship due to labour shortages. It effectively doubles the annual cap of about 66,000 visas, benefiting industries such as construction, hospitality, landscaping, and seafood processing.
A temporary rule authorising the extra visas is set to be formally published on Tuesday, the notice said.
The decision comes amid Trump’s broader immigration crackdown following his return to the White House in 2025. The Republican president has portrayed undocumented immigrants as a burden on communities and has tightened both illegal and legal immigration pathways through travel restrictions and stricter reviews of refugee and asylum cases.
Visa limits had also been expanded under former President Joe Biden and during parts of Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2021, reflecting persistent labour shortages in seasonal industries.
Employers, particularly in hospitality and construction, have long pushed for higher visa allocations, arguing that domestic workers are insufficient to meet demand. Some businesses have reported project delays and rising costs due to staffing shortages.
However, groups advocating lower immigration levels have opposed the expansion, contending that guest worker programmes depress wages and reduce opportunities for US workers.
The Trump administration has also made it more difficult for technology firms to hire foreign professionals under the H-1B programme, including the introduction of a $100,000 fee, which has sparked legal challenges.
