H-2A visas are in effect for seasonal agricultural workers who are offered a temporary or seasonal job in the United States. Their employer must demonstrates that there is a lack of U.S. workers for that job, that the employment will not adversely affect the wages and conditions of U.S. workers, and their employer goes through the labor certification process with the Department of Labor.

H-2B visas are in effect for seasonal or temporary non-agricultural workers who are offered a job in the United States. Like the H-2A visa, the employer must prove that there is a lack of U.S. workers for that job, prove that the employment will not adversely affect the wages and conditions of U.S. workers, and their employer goes through the labor certification process with the Department of Labor. The temporary job must be either a one-time occurrence, a seasonal need, a peak-load need to supplement permanent staff due to a short-term demand, or an intermittent need that is required form time to time for short periods of time.

H-3 visas are for trainees, other than medical or academic, that seek to train in the United States for a temporary period of time. H-3 visa applicants must show proof of binding ties to a residence in their country of origin that they plan on returning to after their training program ends.