Each year, federal regulations require that the Secretaries of Homeland
Security and State designate by notice in the Federal Register the
countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and
H-2B nonimmigrant visa programs for the coming year. This year, a total
of 63 countries have been identified. This notice goes into effect on
January 18, 2014.
Identification of these countries is based on four key factors: the
country’s cooperation in the issuance of travel documents for nationals,
citizens, subjects and residents of that country who are subject to a
final order of removal, and the number of final and unexecuted orders of
removal against nationals, citizens, subjects and residents of that
country; the number of orders of removal executed against nationals,
citizens, subjects and residents of that country; and other factors that
might serve the best interest of the United States.
