I can't imagine what would happen if the gov't ever closed the door to that labour pool.
This would be quite a disruption in the US I imagine. In Finland too to some degree. Last year, they were unable to collect all the strawberries and blueberries that were demanded, as normally Thai/Filipino seasonal workers do a lot of the work.
If I didn't have a little nest egg, I would have needed to euthanize an otherwise healthy dog.
This is what is important to recognize - a little planning can make a world of difference in our experience. I know a lot of people who have and are struggling and wouldn't have any other options in this scenario - but it isn't that they couldn't have other options. Can't wait until needing it to start building it.