LEXINGTON, Ky. (Friday, December 18, 2015) – Provisions backed by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) that offer relief for H-2B visa employers such as horse trainers were approved by Congress as part of the omnibus appropriations bill passed earlier today.

Of particular interest to trainers and others in the Thoroughbred industry who rely on H-2B workers are these beneficial provisions:

  • H-2B returning workers are exempt from the annual 66,000 H-2B cap;
  • Those paying H-2B wages are allowed the use of private wage surveys, which are not allowed under current H-2B rules;
  • Seasonal employment is clearly defined as 10 months of employment, as opposed to nine months in the current H-2B rules;
  • The Department of Labor (DOL) is prevented from implementing the provisions of current H-2B rules related to corresponding employment and the 3/4 guarantee requiring a set number of work hours; and
  • DOL is prohibited from implementing a burdensome new enforcement scheme related to auditing of employers and certifying officer (CO) assisted recruitment.

“We applaud Congress for recognizing the need for more H-2B visas, which will allow trainers and other major employers in the Thoroughbred industry to properly hire the workers they need,” said NTRA President and CEOAlex Waldrop. “Thoroughbred racing and breeding still need comprehensive immigration reform but these changes to the H-2B visa program are a step in the right direction.”

The H-2B visa program is used by many industries, including horse racing, to access temporary seasonal workers when domestic help is unavailable. Horse trainers typically use the program to hire grooms and other barn help. The lack of documented H-2B workers has significantly hindered the ability of horsemen to hire qualified backstretch employees.

President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law shortly.

About the NTRA

The NTRA is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. The NTRA owns and manages the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance; NTRA.com; the NTRA Top Thoroughbred and NTRA Top 3-Year-Old weekly media polls; the Eclipse Awards; the National Handicapping Championship; NTRA Advantage, a corporate partner sales and sponsorship program; and HORSE PAC, a federal political action committee. The NTRA has offices in Lexington, Ky., and New York City. NTRA press releases appear on NTRA.com, Twitter (@ntra) and Facebook (facebook.com/1NTRA).