About
A council built by the associations who represent the largest H-2B program industries
What the Council Is
An information and resource hub, not a collection of lobbyists
The H-2B Leadership Council is a coalition of associations that represent the top using industries of the H-2B program. Its purpose is coordination: aligning associations around accurate information about how the program operates, and around a small number of durable, practical reforms that protect long-time program users.
The Council does not replace the trade associations its members belong to. It gives those organizations a shared table — a place to compare processing experience, agree on priorities, and speak with one voice.
Who it serves
Employers whose staffing needs rise and fall with a defined season, and the associations, agents, and attorneys who support them. Many of these employers are small or family-run businesses whose year-round American workforce depends on getting through the peak season fully staffed.
Why it exists
Demand for certified seasonal positions has consistently exceeded the visas available, and the timing of supplemental releases has varied year to year. Employers plan against that uncertainty with contracts already committed.
The Council's answer is not comprehensive immigration reform or that all foreign workers are beneficial to the American economy. It is a narrower one: make a temporary, seasonal workforce program predictable for the compliant businesses that already use it.
Guiding Principles
The four principles behind the Council's work
Prioritizing current users of the H-2B program
Seasonal employers who rely on the program today should remain the first priority when considering any H-2B policies, processing reforms, or allocations.
Securing certainty for long-time, compliant users via the Certified Seasonal Employer (CSE) Designation
Employers with a sustained record of lawful participation should be able to plan their season without depending on a lottery outcome.
Preventing H-2B from inclusion in the larger immigration debate
H-2B is a temporary, seasonal workforce program. It deserves to be considered on its own operational and economic merits.
Commitment to strengthening the integrity of the H-2B program
A durable program depends on accurate filings, honest recruitment, fair treatment of workers, and consistent enforcement.
Industries Represented
Seven seasonal sectors, one shared filing calendar
Landscaping & groundskeeping
Commercial and residential grounds crews whose work volume rises and falls with the growing season.
Hospitality & tourism
Resorts, hotels, restaurants, and attractions that staff up for a defined visitor season each year.
Golf & country clubs
Course maintenance and club operations teams that carry a much larger crew during playing season.
Amusement & fairs / carnival & outdoor amusement
Traveling and seasonal entertainment operators whose entire calendar runs within a few months.
Seafood & seasonal processing
Shore-side processing and packing operations tied to short, weather-dependent harvest windows.
Forestry
Reforestation and timber-stand crews whose work follows seasonal planting and growing cycles.
Equine
Horse care and stable operations that need additional hands during the racing season.
The role of member organizations
Member organizations bring the Council direct visibility into how filing seasons actually unfold in their sector: where processing slows, which requirements create avoidable errors, and what a change in timing means on the ground. They also carry Council positions back to their own memberships, so information moves in both directions.
Council leadership
Leadership information coming soon. Officers, board members, and staff will be listed here once confirmed by the Council.
Council Member Organizations
Members
Member organization directory
Interested in taking part?
We welcome conversations with employers, associations, agents, and attorneys who work in the H-2B program.