Annually, the U.S. attracts thousands of immigrants from diverse corners of the globe, constituting approximately 13.6% of the total U.S. population. A pivotal aspect of realizing the American dream for many immigrants revolves around securing rewarding employment opportunities.
Beyond merely earning a livelihood, the pursuit of suitable jobs holds profound significance for immigrants. It entails establishing a foothold in a new homeland and seizing opportunities to accumulate valuable experiences while building lasting connections.
Immigrants bring a lot of skills, experiences, and abilities to the table. In fact, 47% of recent immigrants come to the U.S. with a college degree.
Since immigrant households make up a large part of the population, the U.S. offers a great opportunity to leverage their skills, knowledge, and perspectives to grow individually while contributing to the economy.
Despite this, young immigrants under 30 face significant challenges in their job search. Most jobs for new immigrants in the U.S. don’t meet their skills.
More than two million recent immigrants and refugees are unemployed or doing menial immigrant jobs. So, immigrants need to learn how to navigate the job market if they want to secure their dream jobs. But they can’t do it alone.
This is why we will guide you about jobs for immigrants in the U.S. market and how to navigate the job market.
Working in the US – Understanding the Job Market for Immigrants
Immigrants can add value to a workplace with their distinct perspectives, expertise, and cultural backgrounds. However, in their pursuit of searching for jobs for immigrants in the U.S., they often come across numerous challenges. But these challenges are not impossible to overcome.
So, let’s walk you through the ins and outs of the job market for immigrants to help you navigate it better.
Current Job Market Trends for Immigrants
The U.S. job market is always changing because of factors like new technologies, business needs changes, and how the global market works.
In 2021, 27 million foreigners were working in the U.S., which was close to 18.1% of all young adult workers. Also, in 2023, the unemployment rate for immigrants is 3.4 percent, which is lower than that for people born in the U.S., which is 3.7 percent.
This indicates that immigrants are taking up more positions in the labor market. They are also filling in gaps of labor shortage in the U.S., contributing to the overall employment landscape.
Here are some favorable and unfavorable job market trends for immigrants highlighted in the KFF analysis.
Occupational distribution:
Noncitizen workers, especially those who aren’t elderly, are likely to be offered roles in specific job sectors such as construction, agriculture, and service. This hiring trend of immigrants is significantly higher in these selective sectors than in other citizens.
Underemployment:
Even nonelderly and noncitizen adult workers with a bachelor’s or higher degree are only employed in certain service jobs, such as food preparation and healthcare support, despite having higher education. There are usually more jobs for immigrants in the U.S. in the construction and transportation industry compared to other citizens.
Income levels:
Immigrants are offered lower salaries than citizens filing for the same job. This is regardless of their education. Even the college-educated ones are also offered lower wages. This is more common in recent immigrants.
Health insurance coverage:
Noncitizen workers, even those with a college education, are likelier to lack health insurance coverage than citizen workers. Medicaid coverage does not fully compensate for the gaps in private coverage for noncitizen workers.
Top Job Opportunities for Immigrants in the U.S.
Wondering which sector will you be more likely to land a job in? As we mentioned before, specific sectors are more open to immigrants than others in the U.S. Here are the top sectors that can offer you the best jobs for immigrants in the U.S.
Healthcare sector
Immigrants come to the U.S. with diverse medical expertise, dedication, and compassionate care. This helps enhance patient well-being. From doctors and nurses to medical technicians and caregivers, a healthcare job for immigrants in the U.S. makes a significant contribution to the nation’s healthcare ecosystem. Noncitizens are more involved in healthcare support10 compared to naturalized and U.S.-born citizens.
Information technology
The I.T. sector is an immigrants’ haven. This sector actively hires immigrants, valuing their technical prowess, innovation, and problem-solving skills. The contribution of their intellect helps drive technological advancement, software development, cybersecurity, and data analysis in this sector.
Hospitality and tourism
Many U.S. restaurants, bars, and food service contractors hire immigrants in this industry. Food service workers are also hired in schools and hospitals. This creates a huge market for immigrant jobs in the hospitality and tourism industry for immigrants in the United States.
Construction and skilled trades
The construction industry hires a huge percentage of the immigrant workforce to fill construction roles. Non-adults and noncitizen immigrants are more likely to fulfill these roles than U.S.-born citizens. They are almost three times11 likely to be employed in construction.
Education and teaching
Immigrant teachers bring different ways of teaching and ethnic expertise to the classroom, which helps students learn more. They help create a setting where everyone can learn. This helps prepare the next generation for a globalized world.
Entrepreneurship
Immigrants are full of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. They are more successful entrepreneurs as their diverse perspectives help bring unique product offerings and services to the market. They establish businesses that contribute to economic growth and job creation for other U.S. residents, including U.S.-born citizens. In fact, they have the ability to create more jobs than they take.
Visas for Temporary and Seasonal Jobs
There are 80 different classes of temporary (non-immigrant) visas for entry to the U.S. The most common type is for tourists and business travelers, which allow people to visit the country but not work.
The most common visas for immigrants moving to the U.S. for a job are the H-2A, H-2B, and H-1B visas.
H-2A is the visa offered to seasonal agricultural workers, and the H-2B visa is for temporary workers in non-agricultural roles.
H-2 visas allow workers to stay in the U.S. for up to a year, although they can be renewed two more times if your employer can prove they need you for longer, for a maximum stay of three years.
If you are applying for a temporary H-2 visa, the first step is to receive an offer of employment from a U.S. company. Next, fill out the online form DS-160. There is no fee for filing this form.
Once you have a confirmation number from this form, you can set up an account on USTravelDocs. After making your profile and paying the fee, you will be directed to either schedule an appointment at a U.S. embassy or send in your documents by mail.
Documents you need to send will include:
- Copy of Form I-797B (this is the form your employer should have to allow you to work in the U.S.)
- The DS-160 confirmation page
- Passport with a minimum of six months validity as well as previously used passports or visas
- A 2 inch by 2 inch ( 5 centimeters by 5 centimeters) color photograph on a white background
H-1B visas are another type of temporary work visa, reserved for specialty occupations. They are usually issued to professionals working in fields requiring advanced education or specific work experience.
Like the other H visas, this is a temporary visa that must be renewed and ultimately has a time limit.
Jobs in USA Search for Immigrant
Now that you’re familiar with the basics of the U.S. market for immigrant jobs, you’re ready to start your job search. But where do you start?
Still nervous? Here are some practical strategies to help you navigate this path:
Networking
One of the most powerful tools in your job search arsenal is networking. 85% of jobs are found through networking.
To ace networking, you need to establish connections within your field. But being new in the country, how will you do that? You can attend industry events, workshops, and meet-ups or sign up on networking social media websites.
Engage in conversations, share your experiences, and listen to others. This will open doors to unadvertised job opportunities for immigrants and offer insights into the market for immigrant jobs.
Online job portals
The easiest, most accessible strategy to initiate your job search is to take advantage of online job portals. You can even find plenty of job portals that cater specifically to immigrants.
You don’t need to think twice while signing up for these online job portals. These platforms are designed with your unique needs in mind. So, they will provide job listings for the best jobs for immigrants in the U.S. tailored to your skills and background.
Resume tailoring
It is the first thing that an employer sees is your resume. It introduces you to the recruiters. If your resume doesn’t seem compelling to the recruiters, they will scroll over to the next candidate.
So, to make your resume impressive enough to hold the employer’s eyes, tailor your resume to align with the job description. Also, highlight your relevant skills and experiences. Emphasize transferable skills that you’ve gained from your previous roles.
Finally, try to include accomplishments that show your adaptability and impact on the organization that hires you.
Interview preparation
Having successfully navigated the initial stages and securing interviews for various immigrant jobs, it’s crucial to assess your readiness for the upcoming opportunities. Take a moment to scrutinize your weaknesses and ensure thorough preparation.
Initiate your preparation by delving into comprehensive research on the prospective company, understanding its values, and familiarizing yourself with the intricacies of the role you’re vying for. Compile a list of common interview questions pertinent to your field and dedicate time to practicing articulate responses.
Equally important is the ability to showcase how your background aligns with the company’s culture and goals, underscoring the value you bring. Express genuine enthusiasm for the position and conclude by illustrating your skills and cultural adaptability, aiming to leave a lasting and positive impression on the interviewer.