A Season of Change: Reforming the H-2B Guestworker Program

Abstract:     
The mistreatment of seasonal nonagricultural workers brought to the United States through the H-2B program is an area of concern for many immigration and workplace justice advocates. While recent proposed revisions of the H2-B regulations may bring some positive changes in the scheme, the H2-B program remains the same until the regulations are finalized. Examining the structure and flaws of the current H-2B framework shows that H-2B workers face many challenges, both when they try to participate in the program and when they try to challenge unfair treatment by their employers.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 10

Keywords: immigrant, immigrant worker, migrant worker, H-2B, Department of Labor, reform

JEL Classification: J21, J61

Accepted Paper Series