MARYLAND - More H-2B seasonal worker visas are on the way.
The Department of Homeland Security made the announcement Friday. The department announced an additional 64 thousand temporary nonagricultural visas for the next fiscal year. That's in addition to the congressional mandated 66 thousand H-2B workers already available.
H-2B workers are crucial to Maryland's seafood industry. Crab picking houses primarily in Dorchester County, rely on seasonal workers to pick crabs.
There has long been contention with the H-2B worker lottery program, that requires interested crab houses to enter a lottery to receive workers. The Department of Homeland Security did not make any announcement on changes to that lottery program.
