President Trump on December 31, 2020 extended an order that suspends issuance of new nonimmigrant visas at least through March 31, 2021 in an effort to protect the domestic labor force, as U.S. businesses and workers continue to recover from the economic fallout and uncertainty inflicted by COVID-19. Employers that utilize specific visa programs, including horse trainers who fill various backside positions through the H-2B visa program, will now be unable to hire new visa workers at least through March. H-2B visa holders residing in the United States as of June 24, 2020, are not affected and may continue to work or seek employment. The proclamation provides that within 15 days of December 31, 2020, and every 30 days thereafter while the proclamation is in effect, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor, recommend any necessary modifications.
“This proclamation puts additional pressure on our trainers as they struggle to fill the demanding backside positions in their barns,” said NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop. “The NTRA’s federal legislative team continues its work with Trump administration officials to free up new H-2B visas for trainers and is prepared to also engage the incoming Biden administration.”
The December proclamation follows related proclamations 10014 and 10052 issued in April and June, respectively. President Trump noted last month that, although the overall unemployment rate of 6.7 percent in November was markedly down from its April high, the number of seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs is nearly 10 million fewer than in February 2020 and demonstrates the continued disruption to American livelihoods from COVID-19.
Employers that use the H-1B, J or L visa programs also will not have access to new visa workers through March 2021.
Despite the extension of the suspension of new nonimmigrant visas, the incoming Biden administration may rescind the order.
The NTRA, as a member of the H-2B Workforce Coalition and through its federal legislative team, will continue to seek other solutions for trainers.