New Labor Regulations Threaten To Shut Down Louisiana Seafood Businesses

Proposed regulations by the U.S. Department of Labor to significantly raise the wages of seasonal temporary foreign employees, working in the U.S. under the H-2B visa program, could mean the end of business for Seafood processors and other small businesses in Louisiana and across the U.S.

The regulations which were proposed in January could go into effect as early as October 1, 2011. They would increase the salaries of most foreign workers in the U.S. under the H-2B visa program by a staggering 30-50%. Some businesses have been notified the wage increase will jump even higher to 88%.

Many seafood businesses will not be able to afford the sharp rise in labor costs and because Louisiana seafood businesses are already struggling to compete with the low price of imported seafood, raising the price of their seafood to cover the increase in labor costs is not an option.

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