USCIS announced last week that the Departments of Homeland Security and
State have identified a total of 53 countries whose citizens may be
eligible to participate in the United States’ H-2A and H-2B visa entry
programs. The H-2A program enables U.S. employers to offer employment
to foreign nationals for temporary agricultural positions. The H-2B
program enables U.S. employers to offer employment to foreign nationals
for temporary nonagricultural positions. With just a few exceptions,
USCIS will approve visa petitions for people from countries designated
by the Secretary of Homeland Security as eligible to participate in
these two visa programs.
Effective January 18, 2011, people from the following countries may be
eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visas 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, and Vanuatu. Of these
countries, the following were designated for the first time this year:
Barbados, Estonia, Fiji, Hungary, Kiribati, Latvia, Macedonia, Nauru,
Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and
Vanuatu.
Please note that Indonesia is no longer a country applicable for these
two visa programs. This new list will not affect the immigration status
of any individuals currently in the U.S. with valid H-2A or H-2B visas.
