H-2B Visa Processing Times March 2026: DOL Updates Show Fast Prevailing Wage Clearances & Strong Cap Usage in First Half of FY2026
- Editorial Team
- Mar 19
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 19
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released the latest H-2B temporary non-agricultural worker program statistics on March 18, 2026, giving employers and seasonal businesses the clearest snapshot yet of how quickly prevailing wage determinations (PWDs) are being processed and how much of the FY2026 visa caps have already been used.
As of March 17, 2026, the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) had issued final decisions on 6,299 cases for the first half of FY2026 (October 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026), certifying positions for 116,808 workers out of the 66,000 regular cap plus any unused FY2025 carryover. For the second half (April 1 – September 30, 2026), 3,755 cases were finalized, certifying 54,453 workers.
These figures indicate healthy demand and relatively efficient adjudication for the current fiscal year, especially as many industries (hospitality, landscaping, seafood processing, amusement parks) ramp up for spring and summer seasons.
Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD) Processing Times – Extremely Fast in Early 2026
The most positive signal for employers planning H-2B recruitment is the near-complete clearance of recent PWD requests:
December 2025 requests — Only 8 cases still pending as of March 5, 2026
January 2026 requests — Only 88 cases remaining
February 2026 requests — Only 233 cases still in queue
DOL guidance continues to recommend that employers request a prevailing wage determination at least 60 days before they need the determination for their H-2B labor certification application. In practice, most recent requests are being resolved well inside that window — often within 30–45 days — making the front end of the H-2B process one of the fastest it has been in recent years.
H-2B Visa Cap Usage Snapshot – March 17, 2026
Period | Total Cases Final Decisions | Workers Certified | Regular Cap Allocation (incl. carryover) | Notes |
Oct 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026 (1st half) | 6,299 | 116,808 | 66,000 + unused FY2025 carryover | Heavy usage already |
Apr 1 – Sep 30, 2026 (2nd half) | 3,755 | 54,453 | 66,000 + any remaining carryover | Building steadily |
The high certification numbers for the first half suggest that many seasonal employers locked in their workforce early, leaving less room under the cap for late applicants. Second-half demand is ramping up but still has substantial headroom.
What Employers Should Do Right Now (March 2026)
Request PWD immediately if planning second-half recruitment — current processing is fast, but delays can still occur during peak filing periods.
File ETA Form 9142B as soon as PWD is received — the full labor certification step remains the longest part of the process (typically 60–90 days after filing).
Monitor USCIS H-2B cap count — once the regular cap is reached, only returning-worker exemptions or supplemental caps (if announced) will allow additional visas.
Prepare for potential retrogression — if second-half demand surges, DOL may slow certifications or USCIS may pause premium processing.
Why H-2B Processing Speed Matters in 2026
With ongoing labor shortages in seasonal industries and the regular cap unchanged at 66,000 per half-year, every day saved on PWD and certification directly impacts whether businesses can secure workers for peak seasons. The current low pending PWD backlog is a welcome relief after slower periods in 2024–2025.
Official Sources to Watch
DOL OFLC H-2B Performance Data: dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/performance
USCIS H-2B Cap Count: uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-2b-non-agricultural-workers/temporary-non-agricultural-workers
Need more H-2B guides, cap alerts, prevailing wage lookup tools and seasonal visa strategies? Explore our complete collection here: USA Visa & Immigration Updates
The March 18, 2026 DOL update shows the H-2B program moving efficiently at the prevailing wage stage and strong early cap usage — good news for employers who act quickly in the coming weeks.
Last updated: March 19, 2026 | Sourced directly from U.S. Department of Labor OFLC statistics and USCIS H-2B program data.
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