Do you know if your country is on the list of nations eligible to apply for an H-2A and H-2B work visa in the United States of America (USA) in 2024?

Updated:  Countries eligible for US work visas in 2025

Today, Wednesday, November 8, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), announced the list of countries eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B work visa programs next year.

Countries eligible for an H-2A and H-2B work visa in the United States

Citizens from the list of eligible countries can search for employers participating in the program starting November 9, 2023.

It should be noted that after obtaining an employer, visas are processed in the United States Consulates of the countries participating in the program.

In the 2024 list, there are 89 countries eligible for a work visa in the USA, both for the H-2A and H-2B visas.

This is the updated list.

*Mongolia and the Philippines are eligible to participate in the H-2B program, but are not eligible to participate in the H-2A program. For its part, ** Paraguay is eligible to participate in the H-2A program, but is not eligible to participate in the H-2B program.

It should be noted that, compared to the 2023 list, they added Bolivia to the list.

Click here to know how to get an H2A Visa for agricultural workers

What is the H-2A work visa program?

The H-2A work visa program is a temporary program that allows employers to hire foreign workers to perform agricultural work.

The H-2A visa is specifically for agricultural workers and is limited to temporary or seasonal employment, such as picking and planting fruits, vegetables or other agricultural work. Employers wishing to participate in the program must demonstrate that they cannot find qualified American workers available to perform these tasks.

Foreign workers who are hired through the H-2A work visa program receive job protections and benefits similar to U.S. workers. Additionally, employers are required to provide accommodation and transportation to and from the workplace.

North Carolina is the fifth state in the country with the most workers with H2-B Visa brings every year. In 2022, the United States Department of Labor reported 25,624 approved labor certifications, 6.9% with this type of visa.

Common Industries for H-2A Visa Workers in North Carolina

1. Growing fruits and vegetables:  For example: apples, strawberries, tomatoes, and other crops that require a large amount of labor.
2. Tobacco:  North Carolina is one of the leading tobacco producers in the United States.
3. Nurseries and greenhouses:  Ornamental and nursery plant production also employs H-2A workers.
4. Christmas tree farms:  North Carolina is a major producer of Christmas trees, which requires additional seasonal work.

What is the H-2B work visa program?

The H-2B work visa program is a program that allows American employers to temporarily hire foreign workers for non-agricultural and seasonal employment.

Employers wishing to participate in the H-2B program must file a petition with the United States Department of Labor and Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Foreign workers must also meet certain requirements, such as possessing skills and experience relevant to the proposed job.

It is important to note that the H-2B program has an annual limit on the number of visas available, so not all applications may be approved.

North Carolina is the fourth state in the country with the most workers with H2-B Visa brings every year. In 2022, the United States Department of Labor reported 7,738 approved labor certifications, 3.7% with this type of visa in the country.

We tell you how to find opportunity  I work in the USA with H2B Visa, click on the following link Companies that sponsor Work Visas in the United States in 2023

Updated:  Companies sponsoring temporary work visas in the USA in 2025

Common Industries for H-2B Visa Workers in North Carolina

There are 5 main Industries in North Carolina that hire workers with visas

1. Hostel and Tourism:  This includes hotels, resorts and restaurants, especially in tourist areas such as the Outer Banks and other coastal regions of North Carolina. Workers can be hired for roles in customer service, maintenance, cooking, and cleaning.
2. Construction.  The construction of residential and commercial buildings may require additional labor during certain projects or seasons, where H-2B workers perform varied roles on the construction site.
3. Landscaping and gardening.  Landscape maintenance services, especially during the spring and summer seasons when there is greater demand for maintenance of gardens, parks and recreational areas.
4. Cleaning and maintenance services.  Including cleaning buildings, facilities and other areas that require regular or seasonal maintenance.
5. Seafood processing.  Some coastal regions of North Carolina may employ H-2B workers for fishing and seafood processing, especially during peak seasons.

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List of countries eligible for work visas in the USA in 2024

by Paola Jaramillo, Enlace Latino NC
November 8, 2023

Enlace Latino NCNovember 8, 2023 Do you know if your country is on the list of nations eligible to apply for an H-2A and H-2B work visa in the United States of America (USA) in 2024? Update: Countries eligible for US work visas in 2025 Today, Wednesday, November 8, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), announced the list of countries eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B work visa programs next year. Countries eligible for an H-2A and H-2B work visa in the United States Citizens from the list of eligible countries can search for participating employers starting November 2, 2. It should be noted that after finding an employer, visas are processed at the United States Consulates of the countries participating in the program. In the 2 list, there are 2024 countries eligible for a work visa in the USA, both for H-89A and H-2B visas. This is the updated list. Andorra Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) Madagascar Saint Lucia Argentina Fiji Malta San Marino Australia Finland Mauritius Islands Serbia Austria France Mexico Singapore Barbados Germany Monaco Slovakia Belgium Greece Mongolia* Slovenia Bolivia Grenade Montenegro Solomon Islands Bosnia and Herzegovina Guatemala Mozambique South Africa Brazil Haiti Nauru South Korea Brunei Honduras Netherlands Spain Bulgaria Hungary New Zealand Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Canada Iceland Nicaragua Sweden Chili Ireland North Macedonia Swiss Colombia Israel Norway Taiwan*** Costa Rica Italy Panama Thailand Croatia Jamaica Papua New Guinea Timor-Leste Republic of Cyprus Japan Paraguay** Türkiye Czech Republic Kiribati Peru Tuvalu Denmark Latvia Philippines* Ukraine Dominican Republic Liechtenstein Poland United Kingdom Ecuador Lithuania Portugal Uruguay El Salvador Luxembourg Romania Vanuatu Estonia* Mongolia and the Philippines are eligible to participate in the H-2B program, but are not eligible to participate in the H-2A program. For its part, **Paraguay is eligible to participate in the H-2A program, but is not eligible to participate in the H-2B program. It should be noted that, compared to the 2 list , Bolivia was added to the list. Click here to learn how to obtain an H2A Visa for agricultural workers What is the H-2023A work visa program? The H-2A work visa program is a temporary program that allows employers to hire foreign workers to perform agricultural work. The H-2A visa is specifically for agricultural workers and is limited to temporary or seasonal employment, such as harvesting and planting fruits, vegetables, or other agricultural work. Employers wishing to participate in the program must demonstrate that they cannot find qualified and available U.S. workers to perform these tasks. Foreign workers hired through the H-2A work visa program receive employment protections and benefits similar to those of U.S. workers. Additionally, employers are required to provide lodging and transportation to and from the workplace. North Carolina is the fifth state in the country that brings the most workers with H2-B visas each year. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor reported 25,624 approved labor certifications, 6.9% of which were for this type of visa. Common industries for H-2A visa workers in North Carolina Growing fruits and vegetables: For example: apples, strawberries, tomatoes, and other crops that require a lot of labor. Tobacco: North Carolina is one of the leading producers of tobacco in the United States. Nurseries and Greenhouses: Ornamental and nursery plant production also employs H-2A workers. Christmas Tree Farms: North Carolina is one of the top producers of Christmas trees, which requires additional seasonal labor. What is the H-2B work visa program? The H-2B worker visa program is a program that allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers for non-agricultural and seasonal employment. Employers wishing to participate in the H-2B program must file a petition with the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Foreign workers must also meet certain requirements, such as possessing skills and experience relevant to the proposed job. It is important to note that the H-2B program has an annual limit on the number of visas available, so not all applications may be approved. North Carolina is the fourth state in the country that brings the most workers with H2-B visas each year. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor reported 7,738 approved labor certifications, 3.7% of which were for this type of visa in the country. We tell you how to find opportunities   To work in the USA with an H2B Visa, click on the following link : Companies that sponsor Work Visas in the United States in 2023 Update: Companies sponsoring temporary work visas in the US in 2023 Common industries for H-2025B visa workers in North Carolina These are the top 2025 industries in North Carolina that hire visa workers. Hospitality and Tourism: This includes hotels, resorts, and restaurants, especially in tourist areas such as the Outer Banks and other coastal regions of North Carolina. Workers can be hired for roles in customer service, maintenance, cooking, and cleaning. Construction. The construction of residential and commercial buildings may require additional labor during certain projects or seasons, where H-2B workers perform varied roles on the construction site. Landscaping and gardening. Landscape maintenance services, especially during the spring and summer seasons, when there is a higher demand for maintenance of gardens, parks, and recreational areas. Cleaning and maintenance services. Including the cleaning of buildings, facilities, and other areas that require regular or seasonal maintenance. Seafood processing. Some coastal regions of North Carolina may employ H-2B workers for fishing and seafood processing, especially during peak seasons. This <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org/visa-de-trabajo-en-usa-paises-2024/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org">Enlace Latino NCand is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: "https://enlacelatinonc.org/visa-de-trabajo-en-usa-paises-4.0/", urlref: window.location.href }); } }

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