MARYLAND – The federal government has announced nearly 65,000 additional H-2B seasonal worker visas, almost doubling the current availability. The move offers a glimmer of hope for Maryland’s Eastern Shore seafood processors, who have long struggled to secure sufficient labor under the existing system.
However, it remains unclear how many of the new visas will be allocated to the seafood industry or Maryland specifically.
Seafood processors, primarily located in Dorchester County, have repeatedly voiced concerns about the Department of Homeland Security’s lottery system, which randomly allocates the visas. The system often leaves many processors without the workers they need…