Is the Biden administration going to be more supportive of H-2B than the Trump administration and when will they release additional visas? I am asked this question perhaps more than any other, and the answer is not black and white. Although on the surface it may seem that the Democrats...
SEA, CIS, seasonal employers hold panel discussion on workforce issues faced by seasonal employers
On September 22nd we hosted a a panel discussion with the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) titled, "Are guest-worker programs needed in today's COVID economy?" We sincerely appreciate CIS' participation in this important discussion. In this current political climate, it is not often that two opposing sides are willing to...
Future of Oakley Valley Idaho stone quarries in doubt due to lack of workers
Update: Newsy ran a story on the impact of the H-2B cap/ban on the Idaho stone industry. Click here to watch the video. The Oakley Valley region of Idaho is home to some of the most prized stone in the United States, the famous Oakley quartzite. Due to the limited...
Documenting seasonal employers efforts to recruit American workers displaced by COVID-19, J.F.D. landscapes
Part two in our series on seasonal employers' efforts to recruit American workers takes us to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, a leafy suburb about 20 miles east of Cleveland. In 1989 Joe Drake founded J.F.D. landscapes after dropping out of college. This was much to his parent's chagrin but he is...
Documenting seasonal employers efforts to recruit American workers displaced by COVID-19, part one in a multi-part series
Seasonal employers, like most American businesses, have suffered economic harm due to the shutdowns implemented in response to COVID-19. The impact to each occupation varies widely. The outdoor amusement industry is at a standstill as most carnivals and fairs are cancelled for the near future. Currently, many hotels have closed,...
An open letter to President Trump and his administration
We first want to thank the Administration for recognizing the labor shortage for seasonal employers. We do anything and everything to hire Americans first but in the current economy, there are not enough Americans to fill all the short-term, seasonal jobs. The opponents of the program have argued that releasing...
Report from Honduras, increasing H-2B program participants reduces illegal immigration
The Administration has placed a priority on reducing the flow of illegal immigration from Central America, specifically El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. In order to obtain cooperation from the Northern Triangle countries to reduce illegal immigration, the Administration froze their foreign aid. This led to extensive negotiations between the countries...
H-2B mock lottery highlights potential devastating impact if cap relief is not granted
On December 9, 2019, over 150 people, representing fifty-two Philadelphia area seasonal employers, held a mock lottery at the Valley Forge Casino to highlight the devastating impact, absent cap relief, the Department of Labor H-2B visa lottery will have on the 5,000+ small, seasonal employers who rely on the H-2B...
SEA and the Niskanen Center host panel on American worker recruitment
Critics of the H-2B program often allege that the program reduces opportunities and wages for American workers. Although false opponents of the program, both on the far-left and far-right, continue to make these allegations. They cannot continue to go unchallenged. On July 17th, in partnership with the Niskanen Center, we hosted...
Members of Congress and seasonal employers call on Congress to fix H-2B program
Yesterday, in front of the U.S. Capitol, eight Members of Congress, flanked by hundreds of seasonal employers, thanked the Trump Administration for their recent release of 30,000 H-2B visas and called on Congress to permanently increase the H-2B visa cap and reform the program. Due to the cap of 66,000...