A new report from the Economic Policy Institute shows how quick the expansion of the H-2B visa program has been, raising alarms about the consequences for both migrant and U.S.-born workers. The temporary visa program, which enables employers to hire foreign workers for non-agricultural, low-wage jobs, has more than doubled in size since its inception. In 2024 alone, nearly 170,000 visas were issued — a record high.
The H-2B program is primarily used in industries such as landscaping, hospitality, construction, and seafood processing. Despite being intended for temporary or seasonal roles, there is growing pressure from employers to extend the program to cover year-round work, including in sectors like meatpacking.
Critics argue that such expansion could depress wages, weaken labor standards, and reduce economic contributions at the local level.
According to the EPI report, wages certified for H-2B jobs are often significantly lower than the national average for equivalent positions. In fact, across the top 15 H-2B occupations, the certified wage rates were up to 24.7% lower than what U.S. workers typically earn.
Wage theft has also been a persistent issue: employers in H-2B-dominated industries were found to have stolen over $2.2 billion from both migrant and U.S. workers since 2000.
The report also points to structural flaws in the program that limit workers’ rights and mobility. H-2B employees are tied to the employer who sponsors their visa, which can leave them vulnerable to exploitation.
Unlike other visa categories, H-2B workers cannot bring their families and have no path to permanent residency or citizenship, limiting their ability to contribute long-term to the U.S. economy.
In one case study, the report examines the meatpacking industry and models an alternative approach: replacing temporary H-2B hiring with permanent legal status for currently unauthorized workers or recruiting new immigrants through green cards. The findings suggest this could generate more than $2.6 billion in additional economic activity in communities around meatpacking plants.
The gains would come from higher wages, increased local spending, lower remittance outflows, and the added earnings of workers’ spouses.
The EPI recommends overhauling the H-2B program to offer stronger protections, fairer compensation, and pathways to citizenship for migrant workers. It also calls for a reassessment of how U.S. workers are prioritized for temporary jobs. Rather than expanding a program with systemic issues, the report argues for a labor strategy that strengthens rights and raises standards across the board.
The findings come at a time when employers, facing ongoing labor shortages, are lobbying for greater access to migrant workers. However, without meaningful reform, experts warn that expanding the current system could further entrench a vulnerable labor force with limited legal protections.
