Congress has approved a final spending package to fund the remainder of the fiscal year. GCSAA is pleased to report that this legislation increases the number of H-2B workers available in 2019, beyond the current 66,000 cap. GCSAA has consistently told federal decision-makers that 66,000 is inadequate to meet golf’s labor needs in this strong economy. Demand has been so high for visas this year that the iCERT online filing system at the Department of Labor was overwhelmed and temporarily crashed, due to the record number of applications.

Congress has responded by authorizing the Department of Homeland Security (in consultation with the Department of Labor) to provide up to 69,320 more visas in 2019, for a total of 135,320. To do so, DHS has to first determine that the needs of American businesses cannot be satisfied by “United States workers who are willing, qualified, and able to perform temporary nonagricultural labor”.

President Trump signed this legislation into law on Feb. 15, 2019. GCSAA’s government affairs staff is now directing its advocacy efforts to the DHS, urging officials to act quickly on providing the additional visas. H-2B provides a vital lifeline for golf facilities that have exhausted all efforts to hire American workers. GCSAA will make sure that message continues to be heard in Washington.