Can Immigration Ease Labor Shortages in Construction
Whether it’s Brexit or Obama’s immigration plan deadlocking the United State’s Supreme Court, there has been no dodging the topic of immigration over the last month—and with this being an election year, immigration will most likely remain a trending topic for the next few months. Seemingly inescapable, the debate over immigration has finally come to the construction industry, an industry that is desperately short of skilled labor. Looking to fill holes in its workforce, one of the solutions some construction companies are considering is the use of the H-2B visa to bring temporary foreign workers to help fill the gaps. Like everywhere immigration is debated, this is proving to be a divisive topic with most taking a hard stance on either side.
What is the H-2B Visa?
The primary visa available to construction companies looking to bolster their labor force is the H-2B visa. In addition to construction, this visa also supports other seasonal industries such as hotels, retail, and landscaping. The H-2B visa allows a foreign worker to come to the U.S. and perform temporary, non-agricultural labor on a seasonal or intermittent basis. The stipulation to this visa is that, before requesting an H-2B visa, a company must prove that there are no native-born workers willing and able to take the job, and must pay H-2B workers the Department of Labor’s set prevailing wage for their position.
Those in favor of the H-2B Visa
At the moment, less than 5% of H-2B workers are employed in the construction industry, accounting for less than 3,000 employees. However, the incredible need for laborers, plumbers, pipefitters, sheet metal workers, drywallers, electricians, ironworkers, and more could lead to an increasing number of firms seeking workers on H-2B visas. Proponents of expanding the H-2B program in construction argue that surplus labor is needed to keep up with the increased demand the U.S. has seen in building. Furthermore, most native-born workers have high school diplomas and college degrees and are not interested in construction positions. Without a suitable workforce, projects will be delayed, prices will rise, and companies will turn down work, leading to a decline in building activity and economic growth.
Those against the H-2B Visa
While it’s hard to deny that the construction industry is facing a labor shortage, as many workers fled the industry during the last economic downturn, some argue that there are better ways to address the issue. The development of apprentice and training programs could help lure employment-seeking, native-born workers back to the construction sector. Proponents argue that the industry should invest in shop programs to re-establish a pipeline of workers back into the trades. Another solution H-2B opponents offer to construction’s labor shortage is to target groups not traditionally associated with the industry to expand the sector's potential workforce; targeting groups such as women could substantially broaden construction’s labor pool. Those opposed to H-2B in construction also argue that the visa is available to unskilled laborers and that it should not apply to the construction industry at all.
The topic of immigration is an emotional issue for many people, but the construction industry needs to find a way to bolster its workforce if it is to keep pace with demand. We aren’t sure what the answer is to the question of immigration in construction, but we do have the answer for busy construction companies looking to increase efficiency and productivity in their crews and on their sites. Our line of Galaxy construction tires is purpose-built to handle long days and harsh conditions, and, most importantly, to help construction companies avoid downtime. After all, construction firms are working at maximum capacity and any setback is costly, especially right now.
Contact your dealer today to learn how Galaxy tires can help your construction company overcome some of the challenges presented from the labor shortage.
