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AILA Issue Paper- Essential Workers Help Our Economy Cite as "Posted on AILA InfoNet at Doc. No. 02092340 (Sep. 23, 2002) ."
“Essential Workers” are
the unskilled and semi-skilled workers employed in all sectors of our
economy. Essential workers include restaurant workers, retail clerks,
construction trades people, manufacturing line workers, hotel service
workers, food production workers, landscape workers, and health care
aids. These individuals often work in the jobs that many Americans do
not choose, but which are “essential” to keep our economy
and our country growing. The demographics say no. By 2010, total civilian employment is projected to be 167.8 million, but the total civilian labor force is expected to be 158 million, more than nine million more jobs than people.
Yes and No. The H-2B temporary
visa program is useful only for employers who can establish that their
need for foreign workers is temporary (seasonal, a one-time occurrence,
or a peak load or intermittent need). If the employer’s need is
year-round or does not fall into one of the definitions used by the
Department of Labor or Immigration Service, the employer cannot use
the H-2B classification to fill labor needs. A nonimmigrant visa category
does not exist for employers who need workers for more than one year
or for employers who have permanent or long-term jobs, for example in
the health care, retail, hospitality and other industries. Even for
employers with truly temporary needs, the H-2B category backlogged and
fraught with bureaucratic red tape that makes it extremely time-consuming
and difficult to use. The permanent immigrant category for non-professionals
in occupations that require less than two years’ experience is
virtually useless; only 5,000 visas are available annually, and the
backlog of waiting cases is over ten years long. As a result, employers
often are forced to send their work overseas, cut back, or close their
doors. Yes. A temporary worker program
would help control immigration by legalizing the flow of people seeking
to enter and leave this country. It would help satisfy the U.S. demand
for workers and provide a legal and safe mechanism for workers to enter
and leave the U.S. Yes. Chairman Greenspan and others
have called upon Congress to reexamine our immigration policies as a
means maintain a strong economy. In Congressional testimony, Mr. Greenspan
demonstrated the link between alleviating inflationary pressures caused
by a tight labor market and stated that tight labor markets could be
the greatest threat to our economy, as they promote inflation. He stated
that Congress should look at the contributions that immigrant workers
can make to help reduce the chance of inflation and help our economy. U.S.-Mexico should resume immigration
talks. Just prior to the September 11th attacks, President Fox and President
Bush had just begun discussing a migration plan for comprehensive immigration
reform between the U.S. and Mexico. Now, a year later, it is time for
“los dos amigos” to renew their commitments to one another
and resume their discussions on immigration initiatives that will benefit
both our countries such as: an earned legalization program; an expanded
permanent visa program; an enhanced temporary visa program; border control
cooperation and economic development in Mexican immigrant sending regions. Congress needs to update our immigration laws and policies to reflect the needs of our economy. The United States needs a regulated, workable immigration system that allows foreign nationals to work here when there is evidence of a shortage of available U.S. workers, and that allows those individuals already here and working to obtain legal status. Our laws also should allow those individuals to obtain green cards immediately when there is a permanent job.
38IP2004 9/17//02 (09/23/2002) For more immigration news, please click here
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