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Challenges and Support of the H-2 Visa Program in an Uncertain Policy Landscape

Sun, August 9, 2:00 to 3:00pm, TBA

Abstract

Since its introduction in the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, the H visa program establishes the contemporary system for temporary migrant labor in the United States. Agricultural and nonagricultural employers facing a labor shortage (e.g. not enough “able, willing, and qualified U.S. workers”) are able to request H-2 visa-holders as employees as long as there will not be an adverse effect on local workers. Approximately 400,000 H-2A visas have been issued annually for agricultural workers in recent years, with no annual quota, while 200,000 H-2B visas have been issued annually for non-agricultural work in recent years, with an annual quota of 66,000.

This project aims to understand the benefits and challenges of the H-2 visa program for employers and visa-holders, the implications of an uncertain policy landscape, and institutional support available for H-2 visa-holders in the United States. Specifically, we question:
(1) How has the H-2 visa program transformed overtime, particularly with regards to related immigration policies?
(2) What are the current benefits and challenges of the H-2 visa program for both employers and visa-holders?
(3) What is the role of religious organizations, medical clinics, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations in the lived experiences of H-2 visa-holders?
To answer these research questions, we adopt a mixed methods approach that includes: (1) analysis of publicly available national data from the Department of Labor (DoL) and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); (2) survey data collection and analysis with H-2 employers in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia; and (3) interviews and analysis with organizations serving H-2 visa-holders in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. We are in the process of analyzing publicly available data and survey data and will begin conducting interviews in May 2026.

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