Top 15 H-2B occupations (by number of labor certifications), FY 2014

Rank SOC code Occupation Certifications for H-2B workers
1 37-3011 Landscaping and groundskeeping workers 34,159
2 45-4011 Forest and conservation workers 6,753
3 39-3091 Amusement and recreation attendants 5,447
4 37-2012 Maids and housekeeping cleaners 5,014
5 51-3022 Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers 2,921
6 47-2061 Construction laborers 2,407
7 27-2022 Coaches and scouts 1,693
8 35-3031 Waiters and waitresses 1,649
9 39-2021 Nonfarm animal caretakers 1,409
10 45-3011 Fishers and related fishing workers 1,227
11 51-9198 Helpers—production workers 1,221
12 35-2014 Cooks, restaurant 1,120
13 53-7064 Packers and packagers, hand 1,026
14 35-2021 Food preparation workers 992
15 35-9011 Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartenders 940
Total labor certifications in top 15 67,978

Note: SOC stands for Standard Occupational Classification system used by federal agencies to classify workers into occupational categories.

Data set excludes records from original  labeled "certification expired" and "partial certification expired" because expired records were not likely to become approved USCIS H-2B petitions or visas issued by the State Department.

Source: H-2B disclosure data from the Office of Foreign Labor Certification's Performance Data

View the underlying data on epi.org.