DHS Bans Filipino Workers From Entering US With H-2A Or H-2B Visas

Department Of Homeland Security (DHS) Bans New Filipino Workers From Entering The United States With H-2A Or H-2B Visas

DHS – Due to a high overstay rate, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) banned Filipino workers from entering the US with H-2A or H2-B visas.

According to GMA News, the Filipino citizens may not be able to enter and work in the United States with temporary visas for foreign agricultural and non-agricultural workers between January 19, 2019 to January 18, 2020, based on a notice from the DHS.

The notice further added that the Philippines has a high H-2B overstay rate, citing that in 2017, an estimate of nearly 40 percent of H-2B visa holders from the Philippines overstayed their period of authorized stay.

The H-2A is a temporary visa for foreign workers who provide agricultural services, while H-2B are for foreign non-agricultural workers.

The agency further noted that the US Embassy in Manila is recorded the highest issuance of T-derivative visas, which are reserved for certain family members of principal T-1 non-immigrants or certain victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons.

As per the report, “the DHS and the Department of State (DOS) are concerned about the high volume of trafficking victims from the Philippines who were originally issued H-2B visas,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

Among Filipino nationals, H-2A visa applicants have increased from 2015 to 2018.

The said continued issuance of H-2A and H-2B visas were considered a potential means that may be used to perform human trafficking from the Philippines.

Aside from the Philippines, Ethiopia and the Dominican Republic were also removed from the list of countries eligible for the said visa programs.

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