Wisconsin Businesses Lose Workers Due To Visa Shortage

A shortage of visas has created a shortage of workers for many Wisconsin businesses this summer. That’s because many businesses rely on foreign employees with “H-Two-B” visas, which are limited to 66-thousand nationally each year — and this year, Congress refused to make returning workers exempt from the cap. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Alpine Amusement is not setting up half its normal rides at its carnivals in Wisconsin, because it doesn’t have the workers — and the American teens who once had those jobs are now doing other things like summer sports or internships. The Homeland Security Department says it will offer extra visas to businesses showing that they’re hurt by a lack of temporary foreign employees. In the meantime, the state’s Hotel and Lodging Association has created a task force to deal with the problem, and the Journal Sentinel says the Wisconsin Dells area obtained its foreign workers through a different visa program that seeks cultural exchanges.