DIRECTIONS

H2B UPDATE

I always hesitate when it comes to providing updates to the current status of the H2B visa program in The Growing Concern, because it changes in the blink of an eye. Additionally, I know that because not all of you use the program, it can be easy to dismiss – or become disinterested – in whether companies are getting their visas, or not. That being said, I would argue that it is important for everyone in the Green Industry to be aware of what is going on with the program for two reasons.

First off, as we all know, there is a shortage of an available local workforce. You are all competing for the same few people that might be interested in landscape laborer positions. So, for every visa requested that it not fulfilled, that is one more employee that has to be found in an already too small local labor pool.

Second, healthy, well-staffed landscape businesses create more business for all of our suppliers, from nurseries to equipment dealers, to material suppliers and more. With this said, I will point out that the need to use the program varies from region to region within our state, because some geographical areas don’t have as difficult of a time finding employees as others.

This year has been extremely challenging for the H2B program. We started the year – economy booming – with requests for visas nearly tripling the number available. According to the Department of Labor (DOL), 5,677 H2B applications were received, requesting 99,362 workers (nationally) in just the first few days of 2020. At the time, only 33,000 visas were available. Legislative action in a spending bill passed towards the end of 2019 allowed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – working together with the DOL – to release (at their discretion) up to 35,000 more supplemental visas. After much feet dragging, they finally released 20,000 more visas for April 1, and 15,000 for May 15, with numerous restrictions.

Then, COVID-19….

The border was open. The border was closed. Only returning workers could cross. Or, could they? You name it, it happened. At last count, while the first 33,000 visas were approved, not all of them have been used, and none of the supplemental visas have been released. To the best of my knowledge, companies that were approved within the original group of 33,000 were able to get their workers IF they still needed and wanted them. Note: Many H2B visas are used by the hospitality industry, which pretty much shut down, and is just starting to open in some states.

SANDY MUNLEY

Executive Director

The Ohio Landscape Association

And just when you thought things couldn’t get any more convoluted… Now, many legislators and government officials are questioning the need for supplemental visas because the unemployment rate has skyrocketed due to the closings caused by COVID-19. What they fail to recognize is that those laid-off workers don’t necessarily want to work in the landscape field, and with the very generous unemployment benefits being given, many have been incentivized not to return to work.

Currently, the President is being pressured to suspend most visa programs, including H2B. Representative Andy Harris, an H2B champion, has circulated a letter through Congress asking for signatures. This letter will be sent to President Trump. It points out why H2B visas are necessary to help our economy recover quickly.

Additionally, Representative Dave Joyce, from Ohio’s fourteenth district, has introduced legislation that would exempt landscape workers from the cap of 66,000 H2B visas annually. (33,000 in the first half of the government’s fiscal year and 33,000 in the second half.) He is looking for co-sponsors now. We are very appreciative of Congressman Joyce’s efforts. He and his staff have been working very hard on behalf of our industry.

We need to continue pushing to make H2B a reliable, usable program, while working on developing career paths and public awareness of the many career opportunities available in the Green Industry.