Full List: US Names 80+ Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programmes
- The US Department of Homeland Security released its updated list of countries eligible for H-2A and H-2B visa programmes, effective November 2024
- Belize was the only new country added to both programmes in this cycle, with no nation removed from either list
- African countries South Africa and Madagascar appear on the eligibility list, alongside dozens of nations across multiple continents
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The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State, has published its updated list of countries whose citizens qualify to apply for H-2A and H-2B visas, with the changes taking effect from 8 November 2024.
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The announcement was made public through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), confirming that Belize was the sole new addition to both programmes during this review cycle. No country was removed from either list.
What the H-2A and H-2B Visa Programmes Cover
The H-2A visa is designed for foreign nationals recruited by US employers to fill temporary roles in agriculture, while the H-2B visa covers temporary positions in non-agricultural sectors. Under both programmes, eligible workers must come from countries formally approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Where a worker's home country does not feature on the approved list, USCIS still holds the authority to review individual petitions, but only when doing so is considered to be in the interest of the United States. The DHS further noted that the list of eligible countries can be revised at any time through a new Federal Register notice. Factors that could trigger a country's removal include high visa overstay rates, fraud, programme abuse, and other conduct deemed contrary to US interests.
Notably, as of 17 January 2025, DHS regulations no longer require USCIS to consider whether a beneficiary is a national of a designated country when processing H-2A and H-2B petitions.
Full List of Eligible Countries for H-2A and H-2B Visas
The complete list of eligible countries, spanning multiple continents, is as follows: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Vanuatu.
Among the African nations represented are South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Mozambique, offering their citizens a pathway to seek temporary work opportunities in the United States through these designated programmes.
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