On June 5, 2026, the U.S. House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee released the Fiscal Year (FY) 27 DHS spending bill. GCSAA is pleased to announce it includes language providing a Certified Seasonal Employer Exemption to the annual H-2B Visa cap. 

Golf industry advocates pushed for the Certified Seasonal Employer Exemption during their Congressional meetings during National Golf Day.

As we know, that cap is set at a low 66,000 H-2B Visas annually. Thanks to the advocacy efforts of GCSAA and other organizations, 64,716 supplemental visas have been made available to all seasonal industries, including golf, for each of the past four fiscal years. While this cap relief has been vital, the supplemental visas were only available after 1) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certified that the H-2B cap has been hit and 2) DHS and Labor issued a rule releasing the visas. Golf needs greater certainty and predictability.  

The Certified Seasonal Employer Exemption would exempt any seasonal employer that received an H-2B labor certification in the last five years. The exemption would apply to the highest annual number of H-2B workers that employer was certified to hire during those last five years. If the employer wants to request additional workers on top of this number in any subsequent year, those requests will count against the cap.

GCSAA will continue to work to see this language passes Congress and is sent to the President for signature.