Pabian Law Clients,
Happy almost New Year! I hope that everyone had a wonderful and relaxing holiday season! While this year has certainly had its challenges on the immigration front and we wish we had news about cap relief (see webinars below), we wanted to ring in the new year with some happy news. In honor of starting the new year on an encouraging note, below please find some positive immigration actions/trends from 2025:
H-2B visas continue to be successful
2025 was the most successful year in the history of our firm in terms of approved petitions. Despite what is being shared in the news about various immigration benefit cuts, H-2B visa petitions continue to be approved and overall, we saw government consistency in decisions. We even saw improvements in processing times at the U.S. Department of Labor, which is the agency that handles the majority of the petition process. Nationally, demand for H-2B visa workers continues to increase each year, demonstrating the importance of the program and its success in helping employers meet their staffing needs. Thanks to these positives, we have been able to chart a plan and strategy for clients to achieve your goals.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) resumed processing applications during the government shutdown
When the government shutdown began, the DOL stopped processing applications due to it being a non-fee accepting agency. This is normal practice and the DOL has always ceased processing applications during government shutdowns. However, 2025 saw an unprecedented action and one that showed the government’s understanding of the importance of legal immigration to the U.S. workforce. This year, about a month into the shutdown, the DOL resumed processing cases. This allowed applications to progress and avoided catastrophic delays to H-2B visa and other immigration petitions.
The Administration continues to publicly support legal immigration
Although the Administration has pushed hard against illegal immigration and certain temporary relief programs, it has publicly shown its support for legal pathways to immigration. Some specific examples of this support include:
- “Legal immigrants enrich our nation and strengthen our society in countless ways. I want people to come into our country.” – President Donald Trump
- “[E]mployers will increasingly turn to legal pathways – most notably permanent and temporary employment visas under the Secretary’s authority . . . as a vital option to obtain a timely, qualified, and stable workforce that can help their businesses grow and prosper.” – Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Secretary of Labor
- The Administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” provided additional funds to the DOL to improve its case processing of employment-based visa applications. This shows the government’s commitment to improving visa program efficiency and continuing to provide legal pathways to immigration.
The Summer-Season H-2B Visa Lottery is around the Corner!
For our summer-season clients with April 1st start dates, we are about a week away from receiving the lottery results. All clients are invited to our next Town Hall webinar, “Making Sense of the H-2B Visa Lottery and Demand”. The webinar is being held on Thursday, January 15th at 2pm EST. You can register online at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/q4o4YD3uToOr9sO-dgbxKQ. I encourage all summer-season clients to attend. It is also great information for winter-season clients to understand trends relating to demand.
Finally, I urge you all to also attend the complimentary webinar being put on by our sister company, Seasonal Connect, “Saving your Summer Season: H-2B Lottery Results, Cap Relief, & Staffing Strategies for Success”. This webinar is being held on Tuesday, January 13th at 2pm EST. You can register online at bit.ly/44Ao4kd. Due to the uncertainty surrounding cap relief and whether additional out-of-country visas will be added, this webinar is extremely important for planning and strategizing in the weeks and months ahead.
Conclusion
Thank you all for a great 2025. We look forward to working with you in the year ahead. Here’s to a wonderful 2026! Happy New Year!
Warmly,
Keith and the Pabian Law Team