WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) joined Rep. Tony Gonzales (TX-23) to introduce the H-2 Improvement to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act. The bill makes improvements to H-2A and H-2B visa programs to make them more responsive to employer needs. 

Current data shows we have 9.8 million job openings in the U.S., but only 5.9 million unemployed workers. If every unemployed American found a job tomorrow, we would still have about 4 million open jobs. Temporary workers are essential to supporting the U.S. economy, but these visa programs are riddled with bureaucracy that make them nearly impossible for employers and applicants to navigate.

“Labor shortages are having a devastating impact on industries throughout the Central Valley,” said Congressman Valadao. “The HIRE Act cuts some of the red tape surrounding our temporary work visa programs to make it easier for employers to address workforce shortages. Improving our temporary work visa programs will help reform our broken immigration system and ensure employers can fill these essential roles to strengthen our economy.” 

The HIRE Act:

• Expands the labor certification period from 1 year to 3 years to minimize application hurdles for employers by reducing the number of times a seasonal job needs to be certified.
• Permanently authorizes waiving the in-person interview requirement for trusted, returning workers who were previously thoroughly vetted to speed up the application process.
• Improve job transparency for American workers by requiring the Department of Labor to publish information related to the use of seasonal employment.