No more working visas for the whole year as US stops temporary worker visas to Filipinos.The United States Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) has imposed a one-year ban on Filipino workers under the federal H-2A and H-2B programs.
The moved was due to overstaying and human trafficking concerns prompting to a one-year ban effective from Jan. 19, 2019 to Jan. 18, 2020.
H-2A is the temporary visa for foreign agriculture workers while H2-B visas are to foreign workers providing non-agricultural services.
DHS estimated that nearly 40 percent of H-2B visa holders from the Philippines overstayed their period of authorized stay," the DHS published in the Federal Register.
“DHS and DOS (Department of State) are concerned about the high volume of trafficking victims from the Philippines who were originally issued H-2B visas and the potential that continued H-2B visa issuance may encourage or serve as an avenue for future human trafficking from the Philippines,”
“DHS and DOS also believe that these overstay and human trafficking concerns are severe enough to warrant removal from the H-2A visa program as well,”
“The Philippines’ continued inclusion creates the potential for abuse, fraud and other harm to the integrity of the H-2A or H-2B visa programs,” the statement said.
The Philippine Foreign Affairs Department reminded its citizens to respect U.S. immigration rules.
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