Foreign Minister and U.S. officials discuss inclusion of Dominicans in H-2B temporary work visa program

The Dominican Republic was included this year 2021 in the list of countries whose citizens are eligible to participate in the H-2A visa program in the United States, which is for temporary agricultural workers.

This Thursday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Alvarez met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere of the Department of Homeland Security, David Cloe and “discussed the entry of the Dominican Republic to the list of countries eligible to participate in the H-2B visa program,” according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This visa is for non-agricultural workers, but no details have been provided.

The chancellor was accompanied by MIREXRD’s director of studies and strategic analysis, Anselmo Muñiz, and minister-counselor Alejandra Hernández, according to the entity’s Twitter account.

Also participating in the meeting were Ihsan Gunduz, from Homeland Security’s (@DHSgov) Office of Immigration Policy; Nate Samuelson, from @DHSgov’s Office of International Affairs.

The Department of Homeland Security indicates on its website The Dominican Republic, Moldova and Paraguay are eligible to participate in the H-2A program, but are not eligible to participate in the H-2B program.

It details that “the H-2A and H-2B visa programs allow U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States for temporary agricultural and non-agricultural employment, respectively. USCIS usually approves H-2A and H-2B petitions only for nationals of countries that the Secretary of Homeland Security has designated as eligible to participate in the programs. However, USCIS may approve H-2A and H-2B petitions, including those that were pending as of the date of the Federal Register notice, for nationals of countries not on the list on a case-by-case basis only if it is determined to be in the interest of the United States.”

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