Finding enough reliable labor for the busy season is one of the biggest challenges most landscaping companies deal with. Every spring, sales teams do their job to help the work come in, and owners wonder whether they'll have the reliable crews to deliver it.
For many landscaping businesses, the H-2B visa program has become a dependable way to staff the season with hardworking team members, many of whom return year after year. It can also be expensive, complicated, and uncertain, with no guarantee that workers will arrive when the season starts.
Labor shortages have been a reality in the landscaping industry for years.
The work is physically demanding, it's seasonal, and it peaks at the same time other seasonal businesses are hiring. Many owners find that local workers simply aren't applying in the numbers they need.
The impact shows up everywhere. Companies turn down contracts, crews get stretched thin, and quality slips. Growth stops being limited by demand and starts being limited by headcount. For companies stuck in that cycle, H-2B can look like the answer.
The H-2B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for temporary, non-agricultural jobs when there aren't enough American workers available. Landscaping is one of the industries that relies on it most.
At a high level, an employer has to show that its need for workers is temporary, such as a defined busy season, and that it has tried to recruit U.S. workers first. The process involves several federal agencies and multiple steps, and the government limits how many H-2B visas are available each fiscal year. The details shift over time and depend on each company's situation, which is where professional guidance matters most.
H-2B is a legal, government-regulated program. Workers come into the country with approved visas after the employer has shown it couldn't find enough local workers to fill the jobs.
When it works, the business has the workers it needs during the months that matter most. Owners often describe the relief of starting the season with a full roster instead of scrambling to fill gaps.
Many companies bring back the same workers season after season. Those team members already know the equipment, the routes, and the quality standards, which means less training time and crews that hit the ground running.
When labor is no longer the bottleneck, the business can say yes to more contracts, add a crew, or expand a service line that was on hold.
H-2B workers must be paid at least the required wage for the job, often called the prevailing wage. Employers also typically face filing fees, attorney or agent fees, and travel-related costs. Many of these come before a single worker arrives, which can put pressure on cash flow early in the year.
The program comes with obligations that continue after workers arrive, and mistakes can be costly. The process also starts many months before the season begins. Companies that wait until they feel the labor crunch are usually too late for that year.
H-2B is meant for seasonal needs. Workers return to their home country when the season ends, so it isn't a solution for year-round staffing.
The process is made up of multiple steps across different agencies, and each one generally depends on the step before it. A delay or error at any point can push everything back.
The bigger challenge is demand. The annual cap on H-2B visas is far smaller than the number of workers employers request, especially for spring start dates, when landscaping and other seasonal industries are all competing for the same limited pool. When demand outpaces supply, a lottery system plays a role in which applications move forward first.
A company can do everything right, file on time, work with an experienced professional, and still not get workers in a given year. Workers can also arrive later than planned.
That uncertainty affects how much work to sell, how to schedule, and how much cash to keep on hand. The companies that handle H-2B best treat it as one part of their staffing strategy, not the whole thing.
Owners considering the program tend to have the same handful of concerns. These are the ones that come up most.
The number of visas available, and how they're released, isn't always the same from one year to the next. Owners using H-2B stay informed through their attorney, agent, or industry groups and plan with some flexibility built in.
No. Employers must try to hire U.S. workers first, and H-2B workers can only fill jobs that local workers didn't. Simply put, they're here because the jobs needed filling. Many owners also find that a full seasonal crew helps the business grow, which supports the year-round roles held by local team members.
Yes. H-2B workers enter the country with approved visas after a process that involves multiple government agencies. It's a regulated program with oversight at every step.
It's a real consideration, but a manageable one. Companies that do this well often rely on bilingual crew leaders, visual training materials, and clear, consistent processes so everyone knows what's expected on the job site, especially when it comes to safety.
This is often the biggest practical challenge, especially in markets where housing is expensive or hard to find. Owners who use H-2B successfully plan for it well before workers arrive, rather than figuring it out once the season starts.
No. Plenty of small and mid-sized landscaping companies use the program. The costs and paperwork can weigh more heavily on a smaller business, though, so it's worth weighing carefully against the size of the seasonal need.
Nothing a business does can change how a lottery shakes out. What it can do is avoid losing its spot for preventable reasons and be ready for whatever happens.
No landscaping company should try to figure this out alone. These are good places to start:
Every company has to make this call for itself, ideally with professional guidance. A few questions can help frame the conversation:
If most of those answers are yes, H-2B may be worth a serious look. If several are no, it may make sense to strengthen other parts of the staffing strategy first.
For many landscaping companies, H-2B has made it possible to secure reliable labor, keep great people coming back, and grow in ways that weren't possible otherwise. It also demands planning, patience, and a clear understanding that nothing is guaranteed. The owners who get the most out of it go in with their eyes open, lean on the right experts, and build a business that can handle the busy season either way.
Led by Marty Grunder, The Grow Group is a premier coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. We provide innovative events like our annual GROW! Conference, peer groups, and real-world resources to help landscaping business owners and their teams succeed. Everything we teach is based on what we know works because we test it ourselves at our "living laboratory," Grunder Landscaping Company, the business Marty began as a teenager and still leads today.
We don't just share theories and ideas. We share tactics we used at our own landscaping company this week that we know still work. Our team brings more than 95 years of combined field experience to everything we do. Whether you're trying to grow your landscaping business or get better control over it, we can help get you where you want to go.
Not sure where to start? Sign up for our weekly Great Idea to get free strategies, tips, and tactics for running your landscaping company delivered to your inbox each Sunday. Listen to episodes of The Grow Show podcast for practical advice you can implement right away.
H-2B covers temporary, non-agricultural jobs where an employer has a seasonal or short-term need and not enough U.S. workers to fill it. Landscaping laborers and groundskeepers are among the most common H-2B positions, alongside roles in industries like hospitality and seafood processing. Whether a specific job qualifies depends on the business's situation, so it's worth confirming with an immigration professional.
For many landscaping companies, yes. A full, reliable crew for the busy season can mean taking on more work and delivering it at a higher standard. It does come with real costs, paperwork, and uncertainty, so it tends to be worth it for businesses with a predictable seasonal need and the ability to plan well ahead.
Most landscaping, lawn care, hardscaping, and groundskeeping work falls under H-2B, the program for non-agricultural jobs. Some nursery or farm-related work may fall under H-2A, the agricultural program. If the business does work that could fit either, confirm with an immigration professional which one applies.
Many landscaping companies do, and returning workers are one of the program's biggest benefits. Even so, returning workers generally still go through the process each season, so their return is never automatic.
H-2B is temporary by design, so a worker's stay is generally tied to the employer's seasonal need rather than a full year. There are also limits on how long someone can remain in H-2B status overall. The exact timeframes depend on the situation, so an attorney or agent is the right source for specifics.
H-2B is a temporary visa and does not lead directly to a green card or permanent residency. Some employers do explore green card sponsorship for long-term team members, but that is a separate, often lengthy process with its own requirements. Any business interested in that path should talk with an immigration attorney.
Earlier than most owners expect. The process begins many months before the season starts. If H-2B is a consideration for next year, now is a good time to start talking with an attorney or agent.
Typically attorney or agent fees, government filing fees, travel-related expenses, and the required wage for the position. Costs vary by situation, so ask whoever helps with the filing for a complete picture before committing.