USCIS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State, have added Andorra, Belgium, Brunei, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Singapore, Taiwan**, and Timor-Leste to the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B Visa programs for the coming year. The notice listing the eligible countries published on Nov. 18, 2015 in the Federal Register. DHS reserves the right to add countries to the eligible countries list at any time, and to remove any country at any time DHS determines that a country fails to meet the requirements for continued designation.

Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson and Secretary of State Kerry have agreed that Moldova will no longer be designated as an eligible country to participate in the H-2B program because Moldova is not meeting the standards in the regulation for the H-2B program participation. Nationals of Moldova may still participate in the H-2A program because Moldova continues to meet the standards in the regulation for H-2A program participation.

The H-2A and H-2B Visa programs allow U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural and nonagricultural jobs, respectively. Typically, USCIS only approves H-2A and H-2B petitions for nationals of countries the Secretary of Homeland Security has designated as eligible to participate in the programs. USCIS, however, may approve H-2A and H-2B petitions for nationals of countries not on the list if it is determined to be in the interest of the United States.

Effective Jan. 18, 2016, nationals of the following countries are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B Visa programs:

Andorra Ethiopia Luxembourg San Marino
Argentina Fiji Macedonia Serbia
Australia Finland Madagascar Singapore
Austria France Malta Slovakia
Barbados Germany Moldova* Slovenia
Belgium Greece Mexico Solomon Islands
Belize Grenada Monaco South Africa
Brazil Guatemala Montenegro South Korea
Brunei Haiti Nauru Spain
Bulgaria Honduras The Netherlands Sweden
Canada Hungary Nicaragua Switzerland
Chile Iceland New Zealand Taiwan**
Colombia Ireland Norway Thailand
Costa Rica Israel Panama Timor-Leste
Croatia Italy Papua New Guinea Tonga
Czech Republic Jamaica Peru Turkey
Denmark Japan The Philippines Tuvalu
Dominican Republic Kiribati Poland Ukraine
Ecuador Latvia Portugal  United Kingdom
El Salvador Lichtenstein Romania  Uruguay
Estonia Lithuania Samoa  Vanuatu

*Moldova is designated to participate in the H-2A program, but it is not eligible to participate in the H-2B program.

** With respect to all references to “country” or “countries” in this document, it should be noted that the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, Pub. L. No. 96-8, Section 4(b)(1), provides that “[w]henever the laws of the United States refer or relate to foreign countries, nations, states, governments, or similar entities, such terms shall include and such laws shall apply with respect to Taiwan.” 22 U.S.C. § 3303(b)(1). Accordingly, all references to “country” or “countries” in the regulations governing whether nationals of a country are eligible for H-2 program participation, 8 CFR 214.2(h)(5)(i)(F)(1)(i) and 8 CFR 214.2(h)(6)(i)(E)(1), are read to include Taiwan. This is consistent with the United States’ one-China policy, under which the United States has maintained unofficial relations with Taiwan since 1979.

This notice does not affect the status of beneficiaries who currently are in the United States in H-2A or H-2B status unless they apply to change or extend their status. Each country’s designation is valid for one year from Jan. 18, 2016.