Reply to this. In 2024, the Biden administration significantly increased the number of H-2B visas, effectively doubling them to around 130,716 for the fiscal year. This move aims to support industries that rely heavily on seasonal labor, such as the seafood industry in regions like Alaska, where the demand for such workers far exceeds the local labor supply. The expansion is seen as critical for preventing potential financial losses in the seafood supply chain, which could have exceeded $100 million without access to H-2B workforce. Senators from Alaska, recognizing the vital role of these visas, have taken legislative steps to further support the seafood sector by proposing bills to exempt fish processing workers from the H-2B visa capLinks to an external site.. This expansion of H-2B visas is a welcome development for industries facing seasonal labor shortages, illustrating the crucial link between visa policy and the operational capacity of key sectors of the U.S. economy