**The Misconception About Immigration and Job Markets**
A common myth perpetuated by politicians, including former President Donald Trump, is that immigration has a negative impact on the US job market. However, evidence suggests that immigrants actually help the overall economy and don’t take jobs from or reduce the wages of US-born workers.
According to economists, the job market isn’t static, and immigrants create new jobs by spending in local economies and starting businesses. In fact, a recent study found that immigrants are 80% more likely to become entrepreneurs than native workers. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the recent surge of immigrants to the US will add $8.9 trillion to the nation’s GDP over the next decade, creating jobs and raising pay.
Immigrants also aren’t perfect substitutes for US citizens in many job positions, and they often complement each other rather than compete. While some research suggests that immigration can impact the wages of certain subgroups of US-born workers, especially those with lower levels of educational attainment, the overall consensus is that immigrants help the economy and job market.
In fact, the influx of immigrants has been beneficial for the pandemic-era economy, helping to cool an overheated labor market and alleviate severe staffing shortages in industries like leisure and hospitality. A long-term net decline in the number of non-college-educated immigrants to the US from 2010 to 2021 likely contributed to recent labor shortages.
Even before the pandemic, a consensus viewpoint among economists found little evidence that immigration significantly affects overall employment levels among Americans. The panel of economists concluded that immigrants create jobs, raise pay, and increase the size and complexity of the US economy.
While some research suggests that immigration can have negative wage effects on prior immigrants and native-born high school dropouts, the overall evidence suggests that immigrants help the economy and job market. As the US continues to grapple with issues of immigration and job markets, it’s essential to separate fact from fiction and recognize the benefits that immigrants bring to the economy.
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