Foreign-Born Workers Now Make Up Nearly One-Fifth Of American Workforce

The share of the American workforce composed of foreign-born workers rose to record levels last year, a phenomenon which comes as immigration surges in the wake of worldwide lockdowns and as the nation’s economy grapples with labor shortages.

Workers born in other nations comprised 18.1% of the workforce in 2022, according to data released last week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, marking an increase from 17.4% in 2021. Hispanics account for nearly half of the foreign-born labor force, while Asians account for one-quarter of the foreign-born labor force. Average weekly earnings for foreign-born workers were $945 last year, while weekly earnings for their native-born counterparts were $1,087.

Native-born workers were more likely than foreign-born workers to hold positions in management, professional, and sales occupations, while the

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