USCIS Reaches Cap for Second Allocation of Supplemental H-2B Visas for FY 2026
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received sufficient petitions to reach the cap for the second allocation of supplemental returning worker H-2B visas for fiscal year 2026. The cap covers an additional 27,736 visas designated for temporary non-agricultural workers with employment start dates between April 1 and April 30, 2026. April 21, 2026, was the final receipt date for petitions under this allocation.
The H-2B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign nationals for temporary non-agricultural positions when qualified American workers are unavailable. Industries that rely heavily on H-2B workers include landscaping, hospitality, seafood processing, construction, and amusement parks. The supplemental visa allocation was made available specifically to assist employers who could demonstrate they would suffer irreparable harm without additional foreign workers beyond the annual statutory cap.
With the second allocation now exhausted, USCIS will no longer accept petitions for this tranche. Employers who missed this deadline must wait for any future supplemental allocations or explore alternative visa options. The rapid exhaustion of the supplemental quota reflects the high and persistent demand for seasonal foreign labor across multiple U.S. industries.
Employers who rely on H-2B workers are advised to begin planning early for the next fiscal year, work with experienced immigration counsel to ensure timely petition filing, and consider whether other temporary worker visa categories may meet their workforce needs. The statutory H-2B cap for the second half of FY 2026 was also reached as of March 10, 2026.