Immigrants are clearly filling the job, with new government data showing that last year nearly 1 in 5 workers was born outside the US to parents who are not US citizens, a record-high share of the workforce. represent the part.
It reverses a pandemic dip, when the share of the foreign-born workforce slumped — an unusual backstep in a trend that had been rising since at least 1996. The share of immigrants in the workforce rose to 18.1% last year, up from 17.4% the previous year. 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in a recent report.
The findings come at a time when immigration is in the news Termination of Title 42, an emergency immigration ban that allowed the US to expel hundreds of thousands of migrants to Mexico or their home countries because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, some states, such as Texas and FloridaMoving forward with new laws to crack down on immigration.
Previous Plunge Coincided With Labor Shortage
But some economists have argued that the decline in immigration during the pandemic was, in fact, one of the causes of labor-market tightness during the past few years. This coincides with two other demographic trends that are squeezing the pool of available workers: baby boomers are retiring and a shrinking American birth rate.
,[P]”Policies encouraging immigration, female labor participation or new, productivity-enhancing technologies will determine the extent and persistence of labor supply challenges,” Moody’s said in a recent research note. Rise to the next business cycle.”
Immigration improved last year, according to US Census data, which found the country experienced the largest single-year increase in immigrants since 2010. , the agency noted.
Here’s what to know about the trend.
What is the unemployment rate for foreign-born workers?
The BLS said that workers who were born outside the US had a lower unemployment rate than native-born workers last year.
Foreign-born workers have an unemployment rate of 3.4% in 2022, compared to 3.7% for those born in the US.
The analysis found that the biggest difference among men was with nearly 77% of immigrant male workers over the age of 16, compared to 66% of US-born.
What Kind of Jobs Do Immigrants Hold?
Foreign-born workers are more likely than those born in the US to work in service industry jobs, natural resources, construction and maintenance jobs, the government said. They are also more likely to work in jobs related to production, transportation and material handling.
By comparison, Native American workers are more likely to work in management and professional jobs.
How much do foreign born workers earn?
The analysis found that workers born outside the US earn an average wage of $945 per week, which is slightly less than the $1,087 per week earned by US-born workers.
What are the demographics of foreign born workers?
The Labor Department said about half of this group is Hispanic, while the other about 25% are Asian. Another 16% is white, and about 10% is black, it noted.
Immigrant workers have lower educational qualifications, with 18.3% of foreign-born workers not earning a high school diploma last year, compared with 3.4% for US-born workers, according to the analysis.
