WASHINGTON — March 7, 2022 — U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the announcement that the H-2B visa cap for the second half of FY 2022 has already been met:
“With the H-2B visa cap already met and millions of jobs still open, it is evident that a workforce shortage is threatening to hold back industries across the economy, especially in Leisure & Hospitality. The cap on H-2B visas must be raised to ensure travel businesses are adequately staffed—particularly ahead of the busy summer travel season when so many businesses rely on temporary workers to perform vital operations like housekeeping, lifeguarding and food service.
“Raising the cap on H-2B visas has strong bipartisan support in Congress, as the action would have a clear and immediate benefit to businesses that are struggling to rebound from historic workforce shortages. With more than 1.7 million job openings in the Leisure & Hospitality sector alone, we respectfully urge the administration to exercise the authority given by Congress to release additional H-2B visas above the cap, which is necessary for an even recovery across all sectors of travel.”
