Spring has officially arrived in the United States, though many in the Northeast may disagree. After a winter of record-breaking snowfall (108.6 inches), Boston is still trying to thaw out in temperatures just above freezing.

Snow or no snow, the spring season brings signs of nature's renewal. Birds chirp loudly, flowers begin to bloom, trees bud, and some of us even catch a little hay fever (Gesundheit!). Spring is also a sign for the hospitality industry to shake off the icicles and extend a warm and inviting hand to the millions of travelers seeking to get away.

Whether it be lodging, theme parks, restaurants or cruise lines, the industry strives to show respect to their traveling guests while providing for their needs and treating them as equals. Travelers are not the only ones who benefit from this neighborliness. For years, through guest worker programs such as the H-2B visa program, the hospitality industry has been able to create opportunities for foreign workers.

But with federal agencies currently reviewing the program, its future is as cloudy as the spring sky.

These opportunities began in the early 1950s with the creation of the H-2 Visa Program — a nonimmigrant visa given on a temporary basis, by the Immigration and Nationality Act. The program was then divided into the H-2A (temporary or seasonal agricultural workers) and H-2B (temporary nonagricultural workers) visa programs in 1986 by the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

The programs are administered by the Department of Labor (DOL) through the Employment Training Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The H-2 Visa Program was originally created to employ guest workers on a small scale, which would allow it to escape some issues and criticism that the preceding Bracero Program faced during its run between 1942 and 1964.

However, over the years the H-2 Visa Program has seen its fair share of criticism. Though possibly unintended, these programs have been accused of creating abusive working conditions, withholding worker's wages and taking away incentives that would allow these workers to return to their native home.

Doesn't sound too hospitable, does it?

Recently, the H-2B program was under fire for workers being subjected to abuse during recruitment, such as being charged unreasonable fees and not given accurate information about the job they were recruited for. A court in Florida had the program suspended while temporarily allowing application processing through April 15. New regulations from the USDOL and the DHS are not slated to be revealed until April 30, so the program isn't out of the woods just yet.

Where does this leave the hospitality industry and their guest workers? Anxious.

With the H-2B program in limbo, businesses can't hire seasonal foreign workers and therefore cannot keep up with customer demand. This ultimately defeats the purpose of being a part of the hospitality industry.

How can a four-star hotel give their guests nice, clean and comfortable rooms when there's no one to clean up after the former guests? How can a top-rated restaurant create dishes they are well known for and present these dishes to their customers in a timely fashion if they are understaffed?

Why not hire local workers? According to Allyson Cavaretta, the director of marketing at Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit, Maine, there are not enough workers in the community who are interested or available to fill the needed positions. This is the case for many businesses across the country.

Foreign workers who applied for the program have now become antsy as well. The H-2B program gives them the opportunity to not only find jobs that may not be readily available in their home country, but also earn a larger wage. This, of course, helps them to support their families whereas before it may have been close to impossible.

So where does the hospitality industry go from here?

Unfortunately, the USCIS recently announced it has received enough petitions to reach its H-2B cap for fiscal year 2015. This cuts off further applications from foreign workers seeking temporary jobs with a start date before Oct. 1, 2015.

However, there are a few exemptions from this cap. These exemptions can be found here on the USCIS website, or by calling the National Customer Service Center at 800-375-5283.

Employers may still file petitions up to 120 days prior to their employment start date. Businesses are also encouraged to reach out to their legislators asking them to pass cap relief legislation.