EPI Report: No Labor Shortage for H-2B Visa Jobs

The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) released a report showing that there is no evidence to support the labor shortage claims made by companies that advocate for an increase in H-2B visas. Key findings in the report show that companies save multiple dollars per hour by hiring lower-paid H-2B workers.

The report looked at the top 15 H-2B visa occupations (the occupations with the largest number of certifications) and found that wages were either stagnant or declining for workers in these positions. Unemployment rates have also increased in all but one of the top 15 H-2B fields from 2006-2014.

The EPI report used the average national or state wage from DOL’s Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) wage survey data and compared it to the H-2B wage certified by the DOL to determine the differences between wages paid to H-2B workers and the average American worker. Except for six instances out of 45, between 2012-2014, the average H-2B worker was certified at a lower wage compared to the national OES average wage.

Employers saved on average between $2.59 – $3.37 per hour by hiring H-2B visa workers versus American workers in the top H-2B occupation, Landscaping and Groundskeeping. Employers in the second largest H-2B occupation, Forest and Conservation Workers, saved and average of $3.270-$3.80 per hour.

To read the full report go to EPI.org.