Frequently Asked Questions
For many positions, experience is not required in order to apply for the H-2B Program. If a company requests that participant have experience for a specific position, you will need to meet that experience requirement in order to apply for that particular job. If you have experience, it may be helpful, so you should include this information in your application and your resume or CV (Curriculum Vitae).
Yes. The H-2B Program is open to students as well as to people who are graduates or non-students.
The minimum level of education that is required is a high school degree. It is also possible that some employers may require you to have a specific degree or level of education for a particular job.
You may request locations and type of position; however, we cannot guarantee that we can fulfill your request. In order for a participant to request a particular company, the company must go through the H-2B Program with the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, and be approved to hire H-2B workers. The more flexible you are, the easier it is to place you.
The length of your H-2B job (which is also the length of your H-2B visa) may last up to 10 months. The exact time depends on the length of time that the company was approved for the H-2B Program. You may also request to extend your H-2B visa and work at another company after your current H-2B expires. You may stay in the U.S. for a maximum of three consecutive years as long as you maintain a valid status and extend your visa from one company to another company. Please click Extend Your H-2B! to learn more about this process.
No. The H-2B visa is a work visa, and therefore you cannot travel without permission from your employer. During your stay in the United States, you may visit places on your time off, but you cannot end your work contract early to go travel. All travel must be approved by your host company and an AAG representative. Any unauthorized travel will be reported to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services.
No. You may only work for the company that is written on your H-2B visa. If you are working at a different company than the one that is listed on your visa, you are not working legally and you will be out of status.
New federal regulations effective January 18, 2009, stated that H-2B participants are not allowed to pay a job placement fee or Program fee or other compensation (before or after the filing or approval of the H-2B petition) to an employer, recruiters, or any other party, in exchange for a job or offer of a job in the United States OR in your home country, in relation to the H-2B visa. If you have been charged a fee of any kind for placement services, please let us know.
Although you may no longer pay any Program fees or recruiter fees for your H-2B placement, you are allowed to continue to pay transportation fees, any government mandated passport fees, visa, and inspection fees. You will also be responsible for any housing costs, food, clothing, personal items, and incidentals, while you are working on an H-2B Program.
Yes. The U.S. Government determines the number of H-2B Visas that will be approved each year. This number is currently set at 66,000 for the fiscal year (October 1 through September 30), and is divided into two seasons: 33,000 visas are approved for April 1 (and later) start dates and 33,000 visas are approved for October 1 (and later) start dates. Once this number has been reached, individuals abroad may not apply for the H-2B Program until the next season begins.
An application does not guarantee that you will receive an H-2B visa. In order to get the visa, you will need to go to the U.S. Embassy in your home country with the appropriate documents proving that you have a job placement at an approved H-2B employer in the United States. The approval process for companies in the United States to be able to hire H-2B workers can take approximately 4 months.
Yes. If you have already had an H-2B visa, you may apply again. There is no limit as to the number of times you may participate in the Program during your life. You may also work at the same company, however, you will need to be approved or requested by the company in order to be able to work there.
In order to receive an H-2B visa, you will need to prove that you have strong ties to your home country. Therefore, having proof of residency is important. If you will be applying for a visa in a country that is not your home country, you will need to show strong ties to your home country and prove that you will want to return there upon the completion of your H-2B Program.
When applying for your visa, you will need to bring a valid passport, passport photos, visa applications (DS-156, DS-157, DS-158), proof that you have paid the visa application fee, documents that show that you have strong ties to your home country (such as bank account statements, property titles/deeds, rental agreements for apartment, family, employer reference forms, etc.), letter from a U.S. employer offering you employment, and the I-797 Approval Notice showing that you have been approved to apply for the H-2B visa at the company in the United States. Please check the website of U.S Embassy in your home country for more details.
Your H-2B Program does not include medical insurance, but it is highly recommended that while you are in the United States, you should have some insurance in case you become ill or are injured. AAG offers affordable medical insurance for the time you are in the United States. Please click here (hyperlink for H2b Insurance) to find more details.
Yes. You may request to renew or extend your H-2B visa while you are still in the United States. However, we need to find a placement for you with a company that has been approved, or is in the process of being approved, to employ H-2B workers. The new placement must start before or at the same time when your current H-2B visa expires. If you are interested in learning more about extending your H-2B visa, please click Extend Your H-2B!.
Please feel free to contact us for more information about the H-2B Program.
