CIS Finds No Labor Shortage in U.S.

On Wednesday, the Center for Immigration Studies released the most recent report in a series detailing the employment status for workers in the United States, entitled “The Employment Situation of Immigrants and Natives in July 2020.” This analysis by CIS relies on July 2020 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Among the major findings:

• The unemployment rate for native-born Americans (ages 16 and over) was 10.1% in July, more than double the rate before Covid-19.
• The total number unemployed in the U.S. in July was 16.9 million, 2.5 times what it was before Covid-19.
• The unemployment rate among recent immigrants – those who have been in the U.S. for less than three years – was 17.8 percent in July.

The last point highlights a fact that is largely ignored in the political discussion of immigration policy. Recent immigrants tend to be in occupations that are most susceptible to lay-offs in an economic downturn. They also compete directly with newer arrivals for available jobs.

According to CIS, “It remains extremely difficult to justify the continued entry of new immigrants on the grounds of any ‘labor shortage.’”

See the full report at CIS.org.