(Eagle News)–Because of overstaying and human trafficking concerns, Filipinos may no longer seek employment in the United States with temporary visas for foreign agricultural and non-agricultural workers between January 19, 2019 to January 18, 2020.
This is according to a Department of Homeland Security notice posted in the Federal Register.
According to the notice, the Philippines has a “high” overstay rate of holders of the H2-B visa or the visa issued to foreign workers who perform non-agricultural services in the US.
“In FY 2017, DHS estimated that nearly 40 percent of H-2B visa holders from the Philippines overstayed their period of authorized stay,” the DHS notice said.
The notice also emphasized DHS and Department of State concerns about the “high volume of trafficking victims from the Philippines who were originally issued H-2B visas.”
According to the notice, from 2015 to 2018, H-2A visa applications have also increased significantly among Filipinos, and may be used as a means to commit human trafficking.
While those currently holding those visas will not be affected yet, they “will be affected by this notice should they seek an extension of stay in H-2 classification, or a change of status from one H-2 status to another,” the DHS said.
