H-2B Jobs in Illinois (FY2026) — Employers & Wages
In FY2026 (through Q2), the Department of Labor certified 1,917 H-2B positions for worksites in Illinois — #26 among all states — across 123 employer applications. The median offered wage was $21.26/hour (middle half of offers: $19.18–$21.26).
Hiring season
97% of certified positions in Illinois start in April, March or February, and a typical season runs about 8 months. Employers file with the DOL a median of 90 days before the start date — so openings for a April start typically show up on SeasonalJobs.dol.gov around January.
Top H-2B employers in Illinois
| Employer | Worksite city | Positions | Median wage | Main occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great America, LLC | Gurnee | 304 | $16.05/hr | Amusement and Recreation Attendants |
| Focal Pointe of St. Louis, LLC | Caseyville | 88 | $19.8/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| (¿BVL3875) Brightview Landscapes, LLC – Chicago, IL | Elmhurst | 80 | $21.26/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| Premier Landscape Contractors, Inc. | Lemont | 75 | $21.26/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| Balanced Environments, LLC | Old Mill Creek | 70 | $15/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| Modern Midways, Inc. | Chicago Heights | 50 | $11.79/hr | Fast Food and Counter Workers |
| All Around Amusement, Inc. | Lockport | 45 | $14.89/hr | Amusement and Recreation Attendants |
| Windy City Amusements, Inc. | St. Charles | 36 | $15.13/hr | Amusement and Recreation Attendants |
| Saleem Corp, Inc. - Chicago | Chicago | 35 | $19.18/hr | Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers |
| C.D.A.C., Inc. | Mapleton | 35 | $13.19/hr | Cooks, Fast Food |
| Swyear Amusements, Inc. | New Athens | 33 | $12.38/hr | Cooks, Fast Food |
| Landscape Concepts Management, Inc. | Grayslake | 30 | $21.26/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| American Bannner Amusements | Marine | 30 | $11.12/hr | Cooks, Fast Food |
| LandCare USA LLC - Chicago | West Chicago | 26 | $21.26/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| Tempus Builders, Inc. | Carthage | 24 | $19.58/hr | Helpers--Carpenters |
| A & A Attractions, Inc. | Fairbury | 24 | $13.38/hr | Amusement and Recreation Attendants |
| Milieu Design LLC | Lake Zurich | 24 | $21.26/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| ARTEAGA LANDSCAPES AND EROSION CONTROL LLC | Algonquin | 23 | $21.26/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| Sweet Life Services, LLC | University Park | 22 | $25.89/hr | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers |
| Lawn-Mex, Inc. | Belleville | 21 | $19.8/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| JORDAN MULCH SERVICES, INC. | East Carondelet | 21 | $19.8/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| Hawthorne Landscaping, Inc. | Crest Hill | 20 | $21.26/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
| KEHRER BROTHERS WEST ROOFING INC | Albers | 20 | $22.49/hr | Helpers--Roofers |
| Arlington's Best Concessions , Inc. | Peotone | 20 | $15.13/hr | Fast Food and Counter Workers |
| Paul Fritz Landscape Contractors, Inc. | St. Charles | 20 | $21.26/hr | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers |
What the jobs are
| Occupation | Positions |
|---|---|
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 1,016 |
| Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 280 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 212 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 108 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 47 |
| Helpers--Roofers | 40 |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | 35 |
| Helpers--Carpenters | 30 |
| Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons | 26 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 22 |
Where: Gurnee (304) · Caseyville (103) · Lemont (90) · Elmhurst (85) · Old Mill Creek (70) · St. Charles (56) · Joliet (52) · Chicago Heights (50).
How people get these jobs
The H-2B visa lets U.S. employers hire foreign workers for temporary non-agricultural work — landscaping, hospitality, seafood processing, fairs and amusement parks, construction helpers. The employer, not the worker, starts the process: they must first offer the job to U.S. workers, get the Department of Labor certification shown on this page, and then petition USCIS for the visas.
Every certified opening must be posted publicly on the DOL's official registry, SeasonalJobs.dol.gov — that is the place to search and apply for current openings. Beware of anyone charging workers "visa fees": recruitment fees charged to H-2B workers are illegal.
More Illinois numbers
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