Congress has set a statutory cap on the number of H-2B visas that can be issued each fiscal year, divided equally between the first and second halves of the year. The cap is typically reached within days or weeks of the filing period opening, which means employers who are not prepared to file on or immediately after the filing date risk being shut out entirely for that cap period. Fort Lauderdale golf clubs with winter and spring peak seasons generally target the first half of the fiscal year cap, and competition for those cap numbers is significant. USCIS uses a lottery system when petitions received on the first filing date exceed the available cap numbers.
Planning for the H-2B cap requires golf clubs to begin the DOL process well before the USCIS filing window opens, since the temporary labor certification must be obtained before the I-129 petition can be submitted. A golf club worker visa lawyer Fort Lauderdale clubs retain tracks the DOL and USCIS filing calendars, prepares the petition materials in advance, and ensures the club is positioned to file at the earliest possible date. Missing the cap can mean a full year's delay for clubs that depend on a specific seasonal workforce, which is why timing is one of the most consequential aspects of the entire H-2B process.
