by
Government Affairs Team
| May 22, 2018
Two months ago Congress authorized the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor to issue an additional 69,320 visas for employers needing seasonal help, yet the agencies have failed to act. The 2018 golf season is now in full swing and due to a lack of action by DHS and DOL, many golf facilities and other seasonal businesses across the country are facing severe labor shortages resulting in long term negative operational impacts.
Labor studies have consistently shown that each H-2B position supports and sustains four American jobs, but when the positions go unfilled, American workers are harmed in the process. This is why GCSAA needs you to contact DHS/DOL and urge them to release the full amount of additional H-2B visas authorized by Congress in the Fiscal 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Act.
In a strong economy and tight labor market like we are currently experiencing, the existing cap of 66,000 seasonal visas does not adequately meet the need of employers who struggle to find reliable, local help.
Before issuing H-2B visas, the DOL first identifies whether there is a current need for foreign seasonal workers to enter the country. Their findings are reflected in the number of employer petitions they certify each fiscal year. For FY2018, DOL certified a total of 133,815 petitions, including more than 80,000 for employers applying for workers with an April 1 start date. These certifications clearly portray the need for seasonal labor, but while going unfilled, they also represent thousands of employers and small business owners, including those in golf, who are currently understaffed and overwhelmed.
So why the delay from DHS/DOL? After all, a similar process played out only nine months ago when Congress, similar to this year, authorized additional visas for the few months remaining in FY17. This led the agencies to issue a rulemaking, consisting of public notice and public outreach, in July of 2017. The Congressional authorization this year is identical to last year, yet DHS claims the need to do more public outreach. Unfortunately, just like last year, it seems they are unwilling to act until it is too late, leaving many employers with no recourse.
That is why you need to take action now. There are many ways you can contact the Department of Homeland Security to convey how great the need is to you as an employer or how important the seasonal worker program is to the golf industry overall.
Use this letter template to personalize your message and send it to the United States U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ombudsman’s office at cisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov. You can also call the ombudsman’s office at 1-855-882-8100, or tweet @SecretaryAcosta, @USDOL, @SecNielsen, and @DHSgov, using the hashtag #SaveH2B and tell them how you and the golf industry is being impacted by their administrative delay.
For help, contact GCSAA’s government affairs team at 800-472-7878, ext. 3612.