Ban on new foreign workers has left US jobs unfilled, even in times of Covid downturn

The United States closed the door on almost all incoming foreign workers last year. The causes were the Covid-19 restrictions that locked down global borders and the policies of the Trump administration that drastically reduced work visas, with the exception of farm workers. The effect was an unexpected experience in one of the country’s most controversial issues – the relationship between the labor market and immigration.

The preliminary conclusion: Even with soaring unemployment in the United States, businesses that relied on foreign workers and were able to stay open during the pandemic have struggled to fill jobs, employers said.

Unemployed U.S. workers were not interested in jobs typically held by foreign employees at the lower, seasonal end of the labor market, and the visa ban did not help those unqualified for skilled jobs at the high end, according to Alex Nowrasteh, director of immigration studies at the Cato Libertarian Institute.

In April, as the pandemic took hold, the Trump administration temporarily barred future green card holders from relocating to the United States for employment and permanent residence. In June, Mr. Trump widened the ban to include most temporary work visas, except for farm workers, citing health risks and a rising unemployment rate in the United States. President Biden has not announced his plans for the ban on work visas, which runs until March.

These visa programs are only a small part of the overall picture of immigration – they do not include the wider migration to the United States of people for reasons such as flight violence or violence. poverty, or to join family members. Work visa programs target specific or even niche categories; they include temporary visas for nannies and foreign students who work as lifeguards, and long-term visas for highly skilled workers and foreigners who start their own businesses here.