Representatives of New Hampshire restaurants and lodging industries told Sen. Jeanne Shaheen that they’re looking forward to strong spring and summer seasons now that Covid-19 vaccinations are available, but they still have concerns.
While the senator was told in a virtual meeting that vacation rentals and lodging prebookings are up around the state compared to previous years, many businesses in the industry are still struggling, particularly restaurants, which were hit hard by the pandemic.
In addition, they are concerned about finding enough staff as the state’s workforce shortage continues, Amy Landers, executive director of the Lakes Region Tourism Association, told the senator.
Shaheen said the Biden administration is reevaluating H-2B visa policies to make it easier for foreign workers to enter the country for jobs. The program was a key source of employees for New Hampshire’s seasonal employers, but it was reduced substantially by the Trump administration when it issued a ban on seasonal visas.
She has joined four other U.S. senators in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to rescind that ban along with others imposed by Trump on employer-sponsored H-1B visas, J-1 visas for cultural exchanges, and L-1 visas for managers and other key employees of multinational corporations.
The ban “continues to harm a wide crosssection of families, businesses and communities across the country,” said the letter, also signed by Democrats Cory Booker and Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Michael Bennet of Colorado and Angus King of Maine, an independent.
