US clears way for foreign workers to enter on temporary visas

The US government has just granted permission for thousands of foreign workers to enter the country on temporary visas to help businesses overcome labor shortages.

Federal officials say there is a shortage of qualified and willing American workers to perform certain types of seasonal work, Reuters reported.

Therefore, according to the Department of Homeland Security, the government will allow an additional 15,000 temporary visas for seasonal workers to help American businesses escape the difficult situation due to the lack of this type of labor.

Many seasonal businesses such as resorts, green companies, seafood processors are seeking permits to hire more temporary immigrant workers.

Workers in the US. Photo: Toledoblade

Congress initially set a cap of 66,000 workers for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. In May, lawmakers gave Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly the authority to approve an additional 70,000 temporary visas and consider how many more are available, Reuters reported.

A group of US companies called the H-2B Workforce Alliance praised the decision. “We hope that the visa extension will help some businesses avoid significant financial loss and, in some cases, prevent businesses from closing early during the peak season,” the group said.

However, a recent report from the Economic Policy Research Institute found little evidence of a national shortage of H-2B workers. Experts say the expansion of the H-2B program could be exploited by unscrupulous employers to exploit cheap labor.

Some immigration advocates have also criticized the additional visas and argued that American workers should be given priority and better working conditions for low-skilled jobs.

According to Zing.vn