United States | H-2B visa processing times as of Feb. 3

Applications for requested need date from Oct. 1, 2025–March 31, 2026:

The Department of Labor reported that, as of Feb. 3, a total of 6,198 cases were issued final decisions. Certified positions for this period were allocated for 115,710 workers.

Applications for requested need date from April 1–Sept. 30, 2026:

The DOL reported that, as of Feb. 3, a total of 374 cases were issued final decisions. Certified positions for this period were allocated for 5,641 workers.

H-2B prevailing wage determination (PWD) processing times:

As of Feb. 3, the number of remaining requests for H-2B visa PWD applications received in November 2025 was 30. The number of remaining requests for December 2025 was 518. The disparity between November and December reflects the impact of the government shutdown from Oct. 1–Nov.12, 2025.

DOL guidance on H-2B processing times:

These dates reflect the month and year in which applications were filed (request date) or submission date of the appeal request for redeterminations or center director review. The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) encourages employers to request a PWD for the H-2B program at least 60 days before the date the determination is needed.

OFLC may be completing the processing of applications filed prior to the month posted for various reasons. Withdrawn and voided requests are excluded from the total, which may cause the numbers for previous months to fluctuate.

Additional information:

The Department of Homeland Security issued a temporary final rule published on Feb. 3, 2026, authorizing up to 64,716 additional H‑2B visas for fiscal year 2026 with phased allocations, an “irreparable‑harm attestation” and certain filing window dates. Further guidance on the temporary increase, including instructions on how to file an H-2B petition for additional visas, can be found here.

Learn more about the BAL attorneys who help employers secure additional H-2B visas. 

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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