Angus King

STATEWIDE -- Senator Angus King is among those calling for maximum work visas to alleviate seasonal worker shortages.

They sent a letter to the Department of Labor Secretary and the Department of Homeland Security Secretary.

As winter approaches, Maine’s ski and tourism industries are anticipating a shortage of seasonal and temporary employees.

A statement says H2-B work visas allow U.S. employers to fill these open roles with foreign nationals in temporary nonagricultural jobs when businesses have confirmed there aren’t enough local workers to meet demand.

In the letter, the senators wrote “chronic labor shortages – faced by seasonal U.S. employers throughout the nation’s history - have evolved into a permanent structural challenge to the American workforce. As this need grows, so does the pressure on U.S. workers, whose employers workforce needs cannot be met with American workers alone.”

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.