US visa sponsorship opportunities for caregivers, construction workers and housekeepers are real in 2026, and full-time pay in these jobs commonly works out at $32,000 a year or more. But they sit in two very different programs. H-2B covers seasonal work, which suits hotel housekeeping and a good deal of construction labor. EB-3 “other workers” is a green card for permanent, year-round jobs, which is the only realistic employer-sponsored fit for most caregivers.
Neither is quick or guaranteed. H-2B is capped and oversubscribed; EB-3 for lower-skilled roles has a multi-year queue. This guide breaks down each of the three job families: which visa applies, what employers pay, what the law obliges them to cover, and how to tell a real offer from the fake ones that flood social media.
Which visa fits which job?
| Job family | Best-fit visa | Why | Typical hourly pay | Full-time annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel and resort housekeeping | H-2B; EB-3 other workers for permanent roles | Resorts have clear peak seasons | $14–$20 | About $29,000–$41,000 |
| Construction laborer, helper | H-2B; EB-3 for permanent roles | Seasonal or peak-load need in many regions | $17–$26 | About $35,000–$54,000 |
| Skilled construction trades (carpenter, mason, welder) | EB-3 skilled; sometimes H-2B | Two or more years of experience required | $22–$35 | About $45,000–$72,000 |
| Caregiver, home health aide, nursing assistant | EB-3 other workers | The need is permanent, so H-2B rarely applies | $15–$21 | About $31,000–$44,000 |
| Live-in childcare | J-1 Au Pair | Cultural exchange program with a stipend, not a wage job | Weekly stipend plus room and board | Not comparable |
Pay ranges are broad indications based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data and typical prevailing wages at the time of writing; they vary widely by state. One honest caveat: the “annual equivalent” assumes 40 hours a week for 52 weeks. H-2B jobs last only part of the year, so what you actually earn depends on the contract length and overtime.
How does H-2B work for housekeeping and construction?
H-2B lets US employers bring in foreign workers for temporary non-agricultural jobs when they cannot find enough local workers. The employer must prove the need is seasonal, peak-load, intermittent or a one-time occurrence, which is why ski resorts, beach hotels, national park lodges, landscapers and regional builders are the main users.
The cap and the calendar
Congress limits H-2B to 66,000 visas per fiscal year: 33,000 for jobs starting between October and March, and 33,000 for jobs starting between April and September. In most recent years the government has released tens of thousands of supplemental visas on top, with portions reserved for returning workers and, in past years, for nationals of certain Central American and Caribbean countries. Whether and how many are released is decided each year, so check the H-2B page on uscis.gov.
For April start dates, employers file with the Department of Labor in the first days of January, and so many apply that applications are processed in randomly assigned groups. If you hear about an “H-2B job starting next month” with no petition yet filed, it is almost certainly not real.
What H-2B employers must provide
- At least the prevailing wage set by the Department of Labor, and overtime where the law requires it
- Payment or reimbursement of your visa fees, and of inbound travel and subsistence once you complete half the contract; return travel if you complete the job or are dismissed early
- A guarantee of pay for at least three-quarters of the promised hours in each 12-week period
- Tools and equipment at no charge, and written disclosure of any deductions such as housing
- A copy of the job order, in a language you understand
- No recruitment fees. Employers must also forbid their recruiters and agents from charging you
Every certified job is published on seasonaljobs.dol.gov, where you can search by job title and state and see the wage, dates and employer contact details.
Housekeeping jobs: what should you expect?
Room attendants clean 12 to 16 rooms per shift in a typical full-service hotel. It is fast, physical work. H-2B housekeeping jobs cluster in resort areas: Colorado, Utah and Vermont in winter; Cape Cod, Maine, Michigan’s Mackinac Island, the Carolinas and national park gateways in summer; Florida in the winter high season.
Many resort employers provide shared staff housing and deduct rent from wages. Check the amount in the job order, because housing in resort towns is expensive and scarce. Workers who perform well are often invited back.
Permanent housekeeping roles with hotel groups, hospitals and cleaning contractors are sometimes sponsored through EB-3 other workers, usually via overseas recruitment agencies. The wait runs to years.
Construction jobs: laborers versus skilled trades
Construction employers use H-2B for laborers, concrete workers, roofers’ helpers and similar roles where work slows in winter or peaks around specific projects. The Department of Labor looks closely at whether a contractor’s need is truly temporary, so approvals are concentrated among firms with a documented seasonal pattern.
If you are a carpenter, mason, welder, electrician or heavy equipment operator with at least two years of provable experience, you fall into a better category: the EB-3 skilled subcategory, which has a shorter queue than other workers. We explain the PERM steps in EB-3 skilled worker jobs paying $30,000+. Licensed trades such as electrician and plumber need a state or local license, and basic OSHA safety training is commonly expected on site.
Caregiver jobs: why is there no simple US caregiver visa?
Unlike Canada or the UK in earlier years, the United States has never had a dedicated caregiver work visa. Care needs are permanent and year-round, so they do not meet the H-2B “temporary need” test, and care jobs do not require a degree, so H-1B is unavailable.
That leaves these options:
- EB-3 other workers. Nursing homes, assisted-living operators and home care agencies do sponsor caregivers and nursing assistants for green cards. The employer completes PERM labor certification, files Form I-140, and you then wait for a visa number. Because the annual quota for other workers is small, plan on several years.
- Train as a registered nurse. RNs qualify for Schedule A, which skips the PERM recruitment step and places you in a faster queue. If you are early in a care career, a nursing degree is the most powerful upgrade you can make. See EB-3 healthcare jobs for nurses and physicians.
- J-1 Au Pair. For adults aged roughly 18–26, this provides a year of live-in childcare with a host family through a State Department-designated sponsor. It is a cultural exchange, not a route to settlement.
Once in the US, most states require nursing assistants to complete a short state-approved course and pass a competency exam to be listed on the state registry. Employers often pay for this.
How to apply, step by step
- Decide between seasonal and permanent. H-2B gets you working sooner but sends you home after the season. EB-3 takes years but brings your family and gives permanent residence.
- Search official listings. For H-2B, use seasonaljobs.dol.gov and contact the employer or its named agent directly. For EB-3, look up employers in the Department of Labor’s PERM disclosure data on dol.gov and apply through their careers pages.
- Prepare a one-page résumé showing relevant experience, physical fitness for the work, any certificates and your English level.
- Interview and receive a written offer that matches the job order: wage, hours, dates, location, housing and deductions.
- The employer files. For H-2B: temporary labor certification, then Form I-129. For EB-3: PERM, then Form I-140.
- Apply for the visa. Complete the DS-160 (H-2B) or DS-260 (EB-3), attend your consular interview and, for H-2B, be ready to show ties to your home country.
More routes for applicants without experience, including H-2A farm work, are covered in our guide to entry-level US visa sponsorship jobs.
What should you budget, and what insurance do you need?
Even with the employer covering visa fees and travel, you should have funds for your passport, local travel to the consulate, and two to four weeks of food and basics before the first paycheck. EB-3 families pay their own immigrant visa fees, medical exams and flights, which for a family of four can reach several thousand dollars.
Employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance for job injuries, which matters in construction. Health insurance is a separate question: seasonal employers often do not offer it, and a single emergency room visit can cost thousands of dollars. Lawfully present workers can usually buy a plan through the Affordable Care Act marketplace; our guide to affordable health insurance plans explains how that works.
How do you spot fake caregiver, construction and housekeeping offers?
These three job titles appear in more fraudulent adverts than almost any others. Protect yourself:
- Legitimate employers do not charge for job offers or sponsorship, and H-2B rules ban recruitment fees outright.
- No one can sell a place under the H-2B cap or a “fast-track” EB-3.
- A real H-2B job has a case number and appears on seasonaljobs.dol.gov. Ask for it.
- Be suspicious of offers promising free housing, free flights, a high salary and no interview.
- Do not send passport scans or money to anyone you have only met on WhatsApp, Telegram or Facebook.
If you are charged illegal fees or underpaid in the US, you can complain to the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division regardless of your visa status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is $32,000 a year realistic for these jobs?
For full-time, year-round work, yes: it equals about $15.40 an hour, and many states’ prevailing wages for these roles are higher. For a six-month H-2B season, expect roughly half that unless there is substantial overtime. Remember that rent, food and transport come out of it.
Can I change employers on an H-2B visa?
You can only work for an employer that has an approved or, under recent portability rules, a properly filed H-2B petition for you. You cannot simply take another job. If a second employer wants to hire you after your season ends, it must file its own petition.
Can my family come with me on H-2B?
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can apply for H-4 visas, but they cannot work, and you would need to show you can support them on a seasonal wage. In practice most H-2B workers travel alone.
What happens when the H-2B cap is reached?
USCIS stops accepting new cap-subject petitions for that half of the year. Workers already counted against the cap in the previous three years, and certain other categories, may be exempt. Otherwise the employer must wait for supplemental visas or the next half-year allocation.
Do H-2B workers pay US taxes?
Yes. Your wages are subject to federal and usually state income tax, and H-2B workers generally pay Social Security and Medicare contributions as well. You will need a Social Security number, and you should file a tax return after the season, because you may be due a refund.
Bottom line
Housekeeping and construction have a working seasonal channel in H-2B; caregiving mostly does not, and relies on the slow EB-3 other-workers green card. Pay of $32,000 or more is achievable in full-time roles, but only through employers that follow the official process and cover the costs the law assigns to them. Start with the government job listings, keep your money in your pocket, and weigh faster options such as Canada’s routes for workers without a degree before you commit years to a US queue.