Nearly 65,000 Additional H-2B Visas to be Issued
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it will be making available an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary non-agricultural worker visas for fiscal year 2025, which began on Oct. 1, on top of the standard 66,000 H-2B visas that are normally available each fiscal year.
H-2B visas allow employers to hire foreign workers who come temporarily to the United States and perform temporary non-agricultural services or labor — including construction work — on a one-time, seasonal, peak-load or intermittent basis.
The supplemental visa allocation will help address the need for seasonal and temporary workers in areas where too few U.S. workers are available, willing and qualified to do the temporary work and address the labor needs of American businesses.
The H-2B supplemental rule includes an allocation of 20,000 visas to workers from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador or Costa Rica. The remaining 44,716 supplemental visas will be available to returning workers who received an H-2B visa, or were otherwise granted H-2B status, during one of the last three fiscal years.
The regulation would allocate the supplemental visas for returning workers between the first half and second half of the fiscal year to account for the need for additional seasonal and other temporary workers over the course of the year, with a portion of the second half allocation reserved to meet the demand for workers during the peak summer season.
Additional details on eligibility and filing requirements will be available in the temporary final rule and on the DHS Cap Count for H-2B Nonimmigrants webpage.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics | Advocacy
Oct 09, 2026
Podcast: 7.5% Mortgage Rates ‘New Normal’ Until Geopolitical Issues Resolved
On the latest episode of NAHB podcast Housing Developments, NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz joins CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez to discuss the latest economic forecasts and how they have changed this year due to geopolitical turmoil.
IBS
Oct 08, 2026
IBS Remodeled Show Home Uses Holistic Approach to Boost Efficiency
The New American Remodel 2027 will be much more than a beautiful show home. It will highlight just how far building products and techniques have advanced in a relatively short period of time.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 09, 2026
Private Water and Sewer Systems in 2025 New Single-Family Homes
The share of new single-family homes built with individual wells and septic systems increased in 2025 compared to the previous year. According to NAHB’s analysis of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), approximately 10% of single-family homes started in 2025 were served by individual (private) wells, and 17% relied on individual septic systems.
Economics
Oct 08, 2026
Remodeling Market Sentiment Remains Stable in Third Quarter Despite Headwinds
In the third quarter of 2026, the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 62, up one point compared to the previous quarter. The RMI has remained within a narrow band between 59 and 70 for the past four years.
Economics
Oct 07, 2026
ARM Share Increased as Mortgage Rates Spiked
Mortgage application activity declined as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose sharply. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, decreased 7.7% month-over-month in September on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to a year ago, total mortgage applications were lower by 35.4%.