While it may seem like with advent of the Trump administration, the US has taken a pro-nationalist and anti-immigration stance, the truth is that major corporations still continue to recruit immigrant workers, even in a climate that appears, at least superficially, to be against the policy. According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, one third of US companies said they planned on hiring immigrant workers, with only 10% of US employees feeling threatened by the prospect of immigrants taking over their own jobs.
That being said, The Department of Labor continues to place stringent requirements in effect to ensure that employers are not circumventing the hiring process to bring in cheaper labor from overseas and put naturalized Americans out of work; a policy that may get tougher under the Trump administration that has vowed an America first policy in terms of the labor market.
Why are American companies looking overseas to fill key positions in US companies?
“There appears to be a serious skills gap when it comes to high level executive and administrative positions,” says one recruiter from Los Angeles. “Recruiting firms are now broadening their search and the demand for overseas employees that have the required skills to function at the highest levels because American colleges are producing labor ready students with the needs required by major industry competitors. We’re seeing a greater demand for headhunting and staffing agencies because finding the right candidate for a key position has become a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. So long as the proper measures are taken, there’s nothing unethical or illegal about looking overseas for qualified candidates. It helps the American economy immensely by helping individual companies find the right personnel for their individual needs.”
For this reason, immigration advertising agents and attorneys are being kept on hand for the purpose recruiting foreign laborers while simultaneously complying with the guidelines set out by the Department of Labor.
“Basically, an employer must show that they’ve made every effort to try to fill the position domestically, and that includes a stringent list of rules and guidelines they must follow in order to demonstrate that compliance,” says one attorney from Los Angeles. “While the climate for highly skilled immigrant workers in this country is very good, the DOL still wants companies to jump through a number of hoops at their own personal expense in order to incentivize hiring domestically as much as possible. While the overall effect this has on the American economy is probably negative, there are some protections in place. For instance, a company cannot run an ad recruiting overseas and list the position under the market value for the individual job, simply because they are recruiting a foreign worker.”
