WASHINGTON—After the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor announced plans to make available an additional 20,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the fiscal year 2022, American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO Chip Rogers released the following statement:
“Today’s announcement is welcome news, as the lodging industry and many others continue to grapple with the tightest labor market in decades. Filling open jobs is the hotel industry’s top priority, and the H-2B visa program helps hotels and other industries with strong seasonal business and workforce needs to do just that. While our members always look first to the U.S. workforce to fill critical job functions during peak seasons, the H-2B program serves as an important and necessary tool for these small businesses to bridge the employment gap.”