Branson businesses fear shortage of workers this tourist season

Changes to a federal program that provides seasonal workers in tourist areas like Branson are causing concern. Those in the hospitality industry are worried they could be about 1,000 workers short this tourist season.

The Chateau on the Lake is an inviting place for Branson visitors, but keeping it beautiful and clean takes work.

"They're hard workers. Think of leaving your family for 9 months because you have to, to go to work to earn money," said general manager Stephen Marshall.

For nearly 20 years, they've hired housekeepers through the H-2B Visa temporary worker program, bringing in help from countries like Jamaica and Belize.

"It's not as though we did it because we want to do it," Marshall said.

Marshall says they can't fill the positions locally.

"I mean, every week in the newspaper, housekeepers, housekeepers, and other positions, but primarily housekeepers," said Marshall. "There are many, many hotel rooms, and then there's also nightly condo rentals. And if you add the two of them together, I think we're talking about 22,000 rooms. The population of Branson is 10,000. You do the math."

Last year at Chateau on the Lake, they hired 16 housekeepers through the H-2B Visa program to help keep all 301 rooms clean. This year, they're afraid they may not get any.

"We were first in. I don't know if it's on a random basis or geographical basis. I have no idea. All I do know is we were not approved for the first time," Marshall said.

"As of this moment, I don't know of any H-2B visa workers that are coming to the market," said Jeff Seifried, president and CEO of the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.

The number of H-2B workers nationwide for the first half of the year is capped at 33,000. The federal government says petitions for workers reached that cap by January 10. In the past, returning workers didn't count toward the cap, but now they do.

Seifried has written letters to Sen. Roy Blunt and Rep. Billy Long, asking that the returning worker exemption be reinstated.

"It's kind of an emergency position that we get these positions filled. We're tracking several hundred open positions because of this issue with the H2B visas," said Seifried.

The chamber is now organizing a job fair in Puerto Rico to try to supplement the Branson workforce.

Marshall expects to begin hearing from workers who had hoped to return very soon.

"They've been a part of our Chateau family, our team, and they'll go, what can be done? And what I say to them, a lot of prayer. There truly is at this point in time, that we can get that extension done," Marshall said.

But he's prepared to look for help in other places, like Puerto Rico.

"So if you know where I can get a number of housekeepers, send them our way!" Marshall said.

Blunt signed a letter, along with many other senators, to Secretary John Kelly of the Department of Homeland Security, asking for an audit of the H-2B program, to ensure all available Visas are used.