Raleigh H-2B Visa Attorneys

What is an H-2B Visa?

At Vasquez Law Firm, PLLC, we know that employers in the United States often have a need for workers that cannot always be filled by American applicants. In such cases, these employers often look abroad to find the help they need. In order to bring workers into the United States, however, employees must sponsor their foreign workers for a non-immigrant visa—usually under the H categories of visas.

Employment-related H visas cover a wide range of types of workers, but among the more common is the H-2B visa. The H-2B visa is intended to allow a skilled or unskilled non-agricultural worker to enter, remain, and work in the United States on a temporary or seasonal basis. If you are an employer in need of seasonal help from foreign workers, our attorneys can help you take the appropriate steps toward getting the workers your company needs to thrive.

Benefits of the H-2B Program

It is important to note that H-2B visas are reserved for non-agricultural workers, though agricultural workers may be eligible for H-2A visas. There are a variety of benefits that come along with H-2B visas, both for the workers and the employer. For you, as the employer, you get the help that your company needs to serve your customers. For the workers, they are guaranteed that you will pay prevailing wages for their work and that you will give them access to workers' compensation benefits when needed. You must also be willing to provide housing for your workers if you do business in an area with an acute housing shortage.

Once approved for an H-2B visa, a worker is permitted to bring his or her dependent children to the U.S. for the entirety of his or her employment. A qualified spouse can apply for an H-4 visa as well.

Employer Requirements

The United States government maintains strict requirements that must be followed if you hope to bring in foreign nationals to work for you on H-2B visas. First and foremost, you must show that a shortage of qualified labor exists in your industry or geographic area. In addition, you must also certify that you intend to bring foreign workers into the U.S. and extend formal job offers to them. You will also need to establish that the work you have for a foreign worker or workers is temporary and that bringing in foreign workers will not adversely affect similarly qualified American workers.

An H-2B visa is issued for a one-year period, and approved workers can apply for a second consecutive one-year term. After that, the worker must leave the country and reapply for a new H-2B visa. You should also be aware that the U.S. government only makes a limited number of H-2B visas available each year, and they often go very quickly. Waitlists can create long delays, as can other issues with application processing.

We Are Here to Help

The team at Vasquez Law Firm, PLLC understands the challenges associated with obtaining H-2B visas for temporary workers. We are committed to helping you keep your business running smoothly by streamlining the visa application and review process. Our lawyers will assist you in preparing and submitting all of the necessary paperwork and required documentation so that you can decrease your chances of processing delays. We will also help you and your worker take the appropriate actions so that the worker's family members can join him or her in the United States as well.

Call 1-844-YO-PELEO Today

For more information about the H-2B visa, the application process, or any other employment-related visa questions, contact the offices of Vasquez Law Firm, PLLC. Call 1-844-YO-PELEO to schedule a free consultation with an experienced immigration lawyer at our firm today. With three offices in North Carolina, including in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Smithfield, our team is ready and willing to help you meet your labor needs.