Many immigrants come to the United States looking for jobs. Still others who come for other reasons—such as reuniting with family members or getting married—will eventually enter the workforce.
So what types of jobs do they tend to do? It really depends on the reason for the immigration, the skills they have and many other factors. Let’s take a look at a few examples below.
Construction workers
To begin with, 3.3 million immigrants—roughly 11.1% of the total immigrant population in the United States—work in the construction industry.
Part of the reason for this is that manual labor is something many people can adapt to as they develop their skills, and the construction industry is one of the largest in the United States. Many immigrants may also have done similar jobs in their home countries. They haven’t relocated to the U.S. specifically to work in construction, but they’re using the skills and experience they already have to support their families.
White-collar workers
However, there are also millions of immigrants working in more white-collar industries and professional jobs. These include those in the tech sector, business professionals, educators and health services professionals.
The path to immigration is often a bit different in these cases. These workers may need to use a work visa, and they are often sponsored by an employer that specifically wants to bring them to the U.S. because of the skills and abilities they offer. A hospital in need of a world-class brain surgeon, for example, may hire an immigrant because they are the best possible candidate—and the employer is willing to conduct a global search.
It’s important for all immigrants to understand exactly what visas they need and how these can affect the immigration process. An experienced law firm can offer appropriate guidance.