Visa Lawyer Blog
I previously reported on changes to the H2B visa program. This is a notice on the identification of foreign countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and the H-2B nonimmigrant worker programs. The notice becomes effective when it is published in the Federal Register on 1/18/11.
Under Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may approve petitions for H-2A and H-2B nonimmigrant status only for nationals of countries that the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, has designated by notice published in the Federal Register. That notice must be renewed each year. This notice announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is identifying 53 countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B programs for the coming year.
Nationals from the following countries are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B nonimmigrant worker programs:
Argentina
Australia
Barbados
Belize
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
Croatia
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Guatemala
Honduras
Hungary
Ireland
Israel
Jamaica
Japan
Kiribati
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Mexico
Moldova
Nauru
The Netherlands
Nicaragua
New Zealand
Norway
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Romania
Samoa
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Korea
Tonga
Turkey
Tuvalu
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Uruguay
Vanuatu
This notice does not affect the status of aliens who currently hold valid H-2A or H-2B nonimmigrant status.
Read the Notice here Download file