Massachusetts to Survey Businesses About H-2B

The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce plans to survey local businesses on how they were affected by this summer's temporary foreign worker snafu, according to Executive Director Wendy Northcross.

"We're really encouraging people to share with us how they got through the summer if they did not get their H-2b workers as hoped," Northcross said.

Each summer, between 5,000 and 6,000 foreigners travel to the Cape and islands under H-2b visas, mostly to take hospitality sector jobs.

A draft of a survey questionnaire was circulated among business owners yesterday during workshops held at the new offices of Career Opportunities, an employment center in Hyannis. Among other things, employers will be asked what alternative staff they hired to get by this summer when the federal government enforced the limit on H-2b visas.

The study is being conducted in conjunction with Suffolk University. Questionnaires will be e-mailed and sent to chamber members next week, Northcross said.