Maine tourism-related businesses struggle to find seasonal workers

For the past seven years, the Pentagoet Inn in Castine has relied on five temporary foreign workers to take jobs local people aren’t interested in — washing dishes, cleaning rooms, changing beds and cooking. This year, changes to the H-2B visa program will make it even more difficult for owners Jack and Julie Burke to fill those positions and keep their business running smoothly.

“It’s definitely a crisis,” said Jack Burke in a recent interview. “If you’re in Bangor or Portland, you’re probably not in as much of a pinch because you have a larger pool [of labor] to draw from. But here on the coast, it’s tough.”"*

Stumble it! | |