Vincentians now eligible for Non-immigrant Workers Programme in USA

Vincentians are now eligible to participate in the temporary non-immigrant worker programmes of the United States of America.

A diplomatic note from the US Embassy in Bridgetown said the US Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Department of State, has added St Vincent and the Grenadines to the list of countries whose citizens are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B Non-immigrant Worker Programmes.{{more}}

The designation is effective on January 18, 2017 and will remain in effect for one year from that date.

The H-2A temporary agricultural programme establishes a means for agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring non-immigrant foreign workers to the US to perform agricultural labour or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.

The H-2B programme permits employers to hire foreign workers to come temporarily to the United States and perform temporary non-agricultural services or labour on a one-time, seasonal, peak load or intermittent basis.

Potential H-2A and H-2B workers must be the subject of a petition filed in the United States and must also apply and qualify for a US visa.