
Given the scale at which the economic activity of the United States functions, the country for the past few decades has been welcoming overseas workforces from across the globe by granting them H-1B visas.
With H-1B visas that are essential for both skilled and unskilled workforces, foreign professionals play a vital role in addressing the country's labour shortages, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Each year, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues a limited number of H-1B visas to foreign workers, for which the employers in the US grapple to secure, according to The Express Tribune.
In the wake of demand consistently surpassing workers' supply to the US, the statutory cap for H-1B visas for fiscal year 2025 was touched by December 2, 2024.
Economic contributions of foreign workers in the US economy
In favour of the US economy, not only do immigrant workers with H-1B visas fill up the vacant positions, but they also assist the country's native, existing workforce, helping employers create further job roles.
This was particularly outlined in a study by the American Immigration Council, highlighting the contributions of foreign workers to the US economy.