On November 10, 2021, DHS announced the countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs.

United States (U.S.) employers may apply for skilled or unskilled foreign workers to fill temporary or seasonal needs in positions for which qualified U.S. workers are not available. H-2 nonimmigrant classifications include H-2A for agricultural workers and H-2B for nonagricultural workers. The designation is effective from November 10, 2021 through November 10, 2022.

DHS considers several factors in deciding which countries to include for eligibility, including the country’s cooperation in receiving its nationals who are subject to a final order of removal from the U.S. and the number of removal orders executed against nationals of that country. While reasons for removing a country from the list include fraud, abuse, visa denial rates, overstay rates, concerns about human trafficking and non-compliance with H-2A and H-2B terms and conditions by nationals of that country, as well as evidence of economic impact on U.S. industries or regions as a result of the inclusion or exclusion of specific countries.

Nationals of the following countries are eligible to receive H-2A and H-2B visas