Work visas are one of the most common reasons that foreign nationals are able to lawfully enter the United States. Work visas can relate to a position at a company and might last for years or could only give someone the right to remain in the United States for the duration of a specific project.
There are many industries that do not have enough domestic skilled professionals available based on the demand for certain types of labor. There are certain industries, in particular, that rely on a high number of international employees to keep companies functioning optimally.
What industries bring the most workers to the United States?
Those with technical prowess or an advanced degree are often in the highest demand in the United States, and the records for skilled worker visa programs reflect that. The IT sector has the highest demand for skilled workers hired from abroad. According to visa data from 2016, 336,500 of roughly 483,000 H-1B visas granted that year went to companies designing computer systems and software. Another 53,600 H-1B visas that year brought in workers for scientific and technical consulting work, some of which may relate to computers and software.
The next most-common industry was higher education, with colleges and other educational institutions receiving more than 27,000 visas. Other fields with a high number of visas awarded included: architecture/engineering
- software publishing
- accounting/payroll/bookkeeping
- scientific research
- semiconductor and electrical component manufacturing
- medicine/surgery
- financial services
Highly-skilled and educated professionals are among the most sought-after employees in the United States. When companies can’t find the talent they require on the domestic market, they may decide to hire someone from another country. Companies in these competitive sectors may very well need to look into hiring international talent. They may require help to have the best chance of success, as certain visa programs have far more applicants than visas granted each year. Learning more about work visa trends can help companies recognize when there may be an international solution to their domestic talent challenges.