H-2A and H-2B Visa

The H-2 visas fall into the non-immigrant category of US visas for UK residents and other foreign nationals.

They consist of two categories: the H-2A and the H-2B.

The H-2A visa applies to aliens entering the United States to perform agricultural work of a temporary or seasonal nature. Therefore, a foreigner with an H-2A visa can temporarily live and work in the US.

The H-2B visa applies to persons whose job skills or occupation who are entering the United States to perform temporary work for a United States employer.

A US employer may engage an alien worker for temporary, seasonal or intermittent work upon obtaining a labour certification to the effect that there are no US persons willing and able to perform the job requested and the employment of the alien does not adversely affect wages and working conditions of employees in the United States. 

A petition must subsequently be approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The H-2 visa is granted for a one-year period and may be extended in one-year increments for a maximum of three years.