U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s release of 22,000 supplemental H-2B visas: 

“The supplemental H-2B visas are critical to helping the travel industry staff businesses as the U.S. faces unprecedented workforce shortages, which total 1.8 million job openings in the leisure and hospitality sector alone. Further, this well-timed announcement allows supplemental visas to be utilized well in advance of the busy summer travel season.

“While this is an important step in addressing workforce challenges, more must be done to ensure travel and tourism businesses can meet their hiring needs and sustain an even recovery. U.S. Travel thanks the administration for their attention to this issue and respectfully urges DHS to release additional H-2B visas during this crucial period of economic recovery.”