More nationalities eligible for H visas

Last month, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Department of State, added the Czech Republic, Denmark, Madagascar, Portugal, and Sweden to the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B Visa programmes this year.

The H-2A and H-2B Visa programmes allow US employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural and non-agricultural jobs, respectively.

USCIS only approves H-2A and H-2B petitions for nationals of countries the Secretary of Homeland Security has designated as eligible to participate in the programs. USCIS may approve H-2A and H-2B petitions for nationals of countries not on the list if it is determined to be in the interest of the United States.

Effective as of 18th January 2015, nationals of the following 68 countries are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B Visa programmes:

Argentina; Australia; Austria; Barbados; Belize; Brazil; Bulgaria; Canada; Chile; Costa Rica; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Estonia; Ethiopia; Fiji; Grenada; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Kiribati; Latvia; Lithuania; Macedonia; Madagascar; Mexico; Moldova; Montenegro; Nauru; The Netherlands; Nicaragua; New Zealand; Norway; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Peru; The Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Samoa; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Solomon Islands; South Africa; South Korea; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Thailand; Tonga; Turkey; Tuvalu; Ukraine; United Kingdom; Uruguay; and Vanuatu.

Article published 6th January 2015