H-2B Visa. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

For my thesis project I decided to research the H-2B visa program that is run by the United States Department of State. The program allows U.S employers who meet strict requirements to bring foreign nationals to the U.S in order to fill the jobs that are not being taken by American citizens. The yearly cap for the visas is set at 66,000 workers. 33,000 workers begin their employment the first half of the fiscal year from October 1 to March 31. The second 33,000 workers begin working from April 1 through September 30. I had the chance to speak with an employer and a worker to get a feel for what it was like to be a part of the H-2B visa program. I found out that hiring foreign workers through this program it is not an easy way out of hiring U.S citizens to fill jobs. The cost to hire a worker through the program costs $3,500, plus at least a state required minimum wage. The employer also said that he has to buy ad space in the paper for two weeks, as a pre-requirement to enter the visa program. He says that he will receive one call if he is lucky. The research I did revolves around talking about the myths that surround the visa, such as taking away American jobs, as well as the processing hardships that the employer and worker have to go through before being able to work. YouTube Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYveMApCml8&feature=em-upload_owner