Less than 24 hours after the government unveiled a massive 64,716-visa expansion of the H-2B program, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) issued an unusually effusive statement of support. AHLA President & CEO Rosanna Maietta called the January 30 temporary rule "critical to help hotels address staffing shortages and maintain the level of service guests expect" as demand surges ahead of major 2026 events such as the World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Hotels have struggled to rebuild workforces decimated during the pandemic. Despite aggressive domestic recruiting, vacancies remain stubbornly high in housekeeping, food service and grounds-keeping—jobs that H-2B workers traditionally fill. AHLA’s 2025 survey found that 67 percent of U.S. hotels could not hire enough staff to meet occupancy targets, costing the industry an estimated US $9 billion in lost revenue.
Hospitality employers and HR leaders looking to navigate the new H-2B filing rush can streamline the process by partnering with VisaHQ. The company’s digital platform and visa experts handle everything from document compilation to consular scheduling and status tracking, helping both businesses and workers avoid common pitfalls and meet tight onboarding deadlines. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
![Hotel Industry Cheers Release of 64,716 Supplemental H-2B Visas]()
The trade group praised DHS for setting aside most of the visas for “returning workers,” arguing that experienced staff can be onboarded within days, not weeks. It also urged Congress to permanently raise the H-2B cap and streamline the attestation process, noting that the program’s stop-and-go nature complicates workforce planning for multi-property operators.
From a global-mobility perspective, the AHLA endorsement signals that large hotel brands will move quickly to file petitions and may step up overseas recruiting drives in Mexico, Jamaica and the Philippines—traditional talent pools for seasonal hospitality labor. Mobility teams should prepare for higher volumes of onboarding, credentialing and housing logistics, especially in resort destinations where employee accommodation is scarce.
The AHLA also hinted at longer-term reform priorities, including exempting returning workers entirely from the annual cap and creating a multi-year H-2B for employers with clean compliance records. If enacted, those changes could dramatically alter talent-sourcing strategies across the wider travel sector.
Hotels have struggled to rebuild workforces decimated during the pandemic. Despite aggressive domestic recruiting, vacancies remain stubbornly high in housekeeping, food service and grounds-keeping—jobs that H-2B workers traditionally fill. AHLA’s 2025 survey found that 67 percent of U.S. hotels could not hire enough staff to meet occupancy targets, costing the industry an estimated US $9 billion in lost revenue.
Hospitality employers and HR leaders looking to navigate the new H-2B filing rush can streamline the process by partnering with VisaHQ. The company’s digital platform and visa experts handle everything from document compilation to consular scheduling and status tracking, helping both businesses and workers avoid common pitfalls and meet tight onboarding deadlines. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
The trade group praised DHS for setting aside most of the visas for “returning workers,” arguing that experienced staff can be onboarded within days, not weeks. It also urged Congress to permanently raise the H-2B cap and streamline the attestation process, noting that the program’s stop-and-go nature complicates workforce planning for multi-property operators.
From a global-mobility perspective, the AHLA endorsement signals that large hotel brands will move quickly to file petitions and may step up overseas recruiting drives in Mexico, Jamaica and the Philippines—traditional talent pools for seasonal hospitality labor. Mobility teams should prepare for higher volumes of onboarding, credentialing and housing logistics, especially in resort destinations where employee accommodation is scarce.
The AHLA also hinted at longer-term reform priorities, including exempting returning workers entirely from the annual cap and creating a multi-year H-2B for employers with clean compliance records. If enacted, those changes could dramatically alter talent-sourcing strategies across the wider travel sector.
