- Information on Temporary Worker Visas – Know Your Rights
- How To Verify That Your Job Offer is Legitimate
- Information for Employers/Petitioners in the United States
- Salvadoran Workers Seeking Employment in the U.S. through the USAID Economic Competitiveness Project
- Petitioners Seeking to find workers through the USAID Economic Competitiveness Project for El Salvador (ESCP)
- Registration Window
Information for Employers/Petitioners in the United States
H-2 visas are petition-based visas, meaning that a U.S. employer must obtain a temporary labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor and receive a Notice of Approval (I-797B) of the petition from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before scheduling a visa appointment for its workers with the Department of State.
Step 1. Petitioner submits temporary labor certification application to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
The petitioner must apply for and receive a temporary labor certification for H-2A or H-2B workers from DOL. For further information regarding the temporary labor certification application process, please refer to the Foreign Labor Certification, Department of Labor Web page.
Step 2. Petitioner submits Form I-129 to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, (USCIS).
After receiving a temporary labor certification from DOL, the petitioner must file Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker with USCIS. For further information regarding the USCIS petition process, please refer to the USCIS webpages for H-2A workers and H-2B workers .
Step 3. Workers apply for a visa with the U.S. Department of State (DOS) at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Once the petitioner has received the Notice of Approval (I-797B) from USCIS stating that the petition was approved, an appointment for a visa interview for the workers at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate may be scheduled. While the workers themselves may schedule their own appointments, in general, petitioners and/or their agents schedule all appointments for their workers. Applicants will need to fill out a DS-160 visa application form, pay a $190 USD payment, and possess a valid passport
If you are a petitioner and plan to schedule your workers’ visa appointments with the US Embassy, please see steps 3 through 6 of Information for H-2 Visa Applicants.
