US Work Visas 9-25-25

U.S. work visas fall into two broad categories: Temporary (Nonimmigrant) and Permanent (Immigrant). Temporary visas allow individuals to work in the U.S. for a limited time, with common types including H-1B for specialty occupations, H-2A/B for seasonal agriculture/non-agriculture work, and L-1 for intracompany transferees. Permanent work visas, known as Employment-Based (EB) green cards, are for long-term residency and are divided into preferences: EB-1 (Priority Workers), EB-2 (Advanced Degrees/Exceptional Ability), EB-3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals/Other Workers), EB-4 (Special Immigrants), and EB-5 (Investors).  

Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Work Visas These visas are for short-term employment and include: 

H-1B: For workers in a "specialty occupation" that requires a higher education degree. 

H-2A: For temporary or seasonal agricultural work. 

H-2B: For temporary or seasonal non-agricultural work. 

L-1: For intracompany transferees working in managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge positions. 

O Visa: For individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. 

P Visa: For athletes, artists, and entertainers. 

R Visa: For religious workers. 

Permanent (Immigrant) Work Visas These visas lead to permanent residency (a green card) and are categorized by preference: 

EB-1 (First Preference): For priority workers, such as those with extraordinary ability, outstanding professors/researchers, and certain multinational managers/executives. 

EB-2 (Second Preference): For professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability in their field. 

EB-3 (Third Preference): For skilled workers, professionals, and other workers (unskilled). 

EB-4 (Fourth Preference): For certain special immigrants, including religious workers. 

EB-5 (Fifth Preference): For immigrant investors who create jobs in the U.S. 

The United States has several classifications of work visas, which can be broadly divided into temporary (nonimmigrant) and permanent (immigrant) categories. The appropriate visa depends on the worker's skills, qualifications, and the intended duration of their stay. 

Temporary (nonimmigrant) work visas

H visas (Temporary Workers)

·       H-1B: For highly educated professionals in "specialty occupations" that require at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. H-1B visas are valid for three years, with a maximum stay of six years.

·       H-2A: For temporary or seasonal agricultural workers.

·       H-2B: For temporary or seasonal non-agricultural workers.

·       H-3: For trainees receiving instruction in any field other than graduate medical education. 

L visas (Intracompany Transferees)

·       L-1A: For executives and managers transferring from a foreign office to a U.S. office within the same company.

·       L-1B: For employees with "specialized knowledge" transferring to a U.S. office within the same company. 

O visas (Extraordinary Ability)

·       O-1A: For individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics.

·       O-1B: For individuals with extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry. 

P visas (Artists and Athletes)

·       P-1A: For internationally recognized athletes or athletic teams.

·       P-1B: For members of internationally recognized entertainment groups.

·       P-2: For artists or entertainers performing under a reciprocal exchange program.

·       P-3: For artists or entertainers performing under a culturally unique program. 

Other temporary visa categories

·       E visas: For treaty traders and investors from countries with qualifying treaties with the U.S.

·       R-1: For religious workers temporarily working for a non-profit religious organization.

·       TN: For Canadian and Mexican professionals working in certain occupations under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

·       J-1: For exchange visitors, including trainees and interns. 

Permanent (immigrant) work visas (Green Cards)

Employment-based (EB) immigrant visas are for permanent workers and are organized into five "preference" categories. 

First Preference (EB-1)

For "priority workers," including: 

·       Extraordinary Ability: Those with sustained national or international acclaim in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.

·       Outstanding Professors and Researchers: With at least three years of experience and international recognition.

·       Multinational Managers or Executives: Transferred to the U.S. by their employer. 

Second Preference (EB-2)

For professionals with advanced degrees or persons with exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business. 

Third Preference (EB-3)

For professionals, skilled workers, and other workers. 

·       Professionals: Require at least a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent.

·       Skilled Workers: Require a minimum of two years of training or work experience.

·       Other Workers: For unskilled labor that is not temporary or seasonal. 

Fourth Preference (EB-4)

For "special immigrants," including certain religious workers and employees of U.S. foreign service posts. 

Fifth Preference (EB-5)

For immigrant investors who invest a significant amount of capital into a new U.S. commercial enterprise. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+work+visa+classifications

There are not yet official figures for work visa holders in the US as of September 2025, but estimates suggest that as many as 730,000 H-1B visa holders may be in the country, alongside approximately 1.3 million total H-1B visa holders and dependents, according to a January 2025 FWD.us report. A Newsweek report from August 2025 states that in the 2024 fiscal year, there were 3.6 million people in the U.S. on non-immigrant visas for work or study purposes. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+many+work+visa+holders+are+in+the+US+today+in+september+2025

For fiscal year (FY) 2025, the United States expected to issue approximately 130,716 H-2B temporary non-agricultural work visas, which includes the standard 66,000 visas plus an additional 64,716 supplemental visas announced in November 2024 to meet temporary labor needs. As of July 2, 2025, the total supplemental allocation of nearly 65,000 was divided into different groups, with most going to returning workers. 

Details of the H-2B Allocation for FY 2025

Base Cap: A total of 66,000 H-2B visas are available each fiscal year, divided into two halves. 

Supplemental Allocation: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added nearly 65,000 more visas for FY 2025. 

Total Available: This brings the total number of visas available for FY 2025 to approximately 130,716. 

How the Supplemental Visas Were Allocated (as of July 2025): 

·       Returning Workers: The majority of the supplemental visas were for returning H-2B workers.

·       Geographic Allocation: Specific visas were set aside for workers from certain countries in Central America, such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras.

·       Timing: The supplemental visas were allocated in different tranches for the first and second halves of the fiscal year to ensure they met the specific employment start dates requested by employers.

Purpose of the Supplemental Visas 

·       The additional visas were released to help U.S. employers find enough seasonal and temporary workers to fill their positions when qualified U.S. workers were unavailable, thus supporting U.S. businesses.

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+many+work+visas+were+issued+in+2025+to+foreign+temp+services

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody Ga Tea Party Leader