Amidst the highly politicized debates about the U.S.-Mexico border, employment gains for immigrant women in the United States are reaching unprecedented levels, largely due to a surge in Ukrainian refugees.
Many of these individuals are motivated, semi-skilled workers who have entered the U.S. legally through special emergency programs. They are not only addressing significant labor shortages in the hospitality, retail, and service industries, but also contributing to overall employment growth in the country.
While foreign-born individuals constitute only 17.5% of the American working-age population, they accounted for a staggering 64% of the nation’s labor force growth in the two-year period ending in May, with women making a particularly significant contribution, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This represents a substantial increase from the 38% share seen in the five years leading up to 2019, prior to the pandemic.
Immigrants have long played a crucial role in the U.S. labor market, offsetting the effects of an aging population and other factors hindering growth. However, their labor force participation relative to U.S.-born workers has accelerated even further since the pandemic, driven by a rebound in legal immigration and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees, notably from Ukraine.
Additionally, emerging social and economic conditions are motivating more immigrant women to enter the workforce rather than stay at home. Recent statistics indicate that the labor force participation rate among foreign-born women has reached record levels this year and is nearly on par with that of U.S.-born women, whose numbers still remain below pre-pandemic levels.
Julia Gelatt, a senior analyst at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, commented, “We’re already seeing immigration becoming increasingly important in supporting labor force growth, and it will become even more important.”
In addition to addressing immediate labor needs, these newcomers are expected to provide a crucial cushion for the U.S. workforce, which has been impacted by short-term and long-term factors such as retirements, workers quitting jobs in the post-pandemic era, declining birth rates, and an increase in deaths, including those related to drugs, suicides, and other causes referred to as “deaths of despair.”
Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia last year, approximately 300,000 people from the war-torn country have arrived in the U.S., with many entering under the Biden administration’s “Uniting for Ukraine” program. Furthermore, around 100,000 Afghans have arrived since the fall of Kabul in late summer 2021, and tens of thousands more from countries such as Venezuela and Cuba are being admitted for humanitarian reasons.
Individuals entering the U.S. under urgent refugee and parole programs can quickly obtain work permits and typically stay for a minimum of two years. Some possess university degrees and valuable skills, such as nursing, while others are eagerly filling lower-paying positions in restaurants, hotels, retail stores, and nursing homes—jobs that are often overlooked by U.S. citizens.
Two Ukrainian women, Vita Bohera and Nadia Senkiv, who arrived in Portland, Oregon, in August, exemplify this trend. Bohera, a university graduate who worked as an English teacher in Ukraine, secured a job as a medical interpreter after two months of training, while Senkiv, who attended vocational school and previously worked for a company preparing food, now works as a cook at a preschool and takes on a second job at a senior living center. These positions, among many others in the service industry, have been difficult to fill, especially since the country emerged from the pandemic.
Despite modest economic growth, there were over 10 million job openings in the U.S. this spring—nearly two job opportunities for every officially unemployed person, as reported by government figures. Healthcare and social assistance establishments saw job vacancies increase by more than 50% compared to 2019, while lodging and food service businesses experienced a 22% rise. It is estimated that there are as many as 50,000 available positions, including dishwashing roles, based on job listings on platforms like Indeed.
Immigrants play a significant role in the workforce, particularly in the hotel and restaurant sectors. Marriott International, for instance, has hired over 550 refugees in the U.S. since last year, and several companies in various industries have committed to hiring 20,000 refugees over the next three years.
The rise in labor force participation among immigrant women can be attributed to several factors. Similar to women in general, foreign-born women are increasingly better educated, making them more likely to seek employment. Additionally, economic pressures are pushing traditional immigrant households to have stay-at-home mothers enter the workforce, especially in the face of recent high inflation rates.
The net immigration to the U.S., including refugees, exceeded 1 million between 2021 and 2022—more than double the number in each of the previous two years, which saw a decrease in international migration due to the pandemic and stricter border policies under the Trump administration.
While experts do not anticipate such substantial increases in immigration in the coming years due to caps imposed by U.S. law, various humanitarian programs allowing for the admission of up to 30,000 individuals per month from countries like Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua are expected to continue boosting the numbers.
These immigrants, along with others from abroad, are projected to become increasingly vital for the U.S. labor force as the country faces demographic challenges shared by other advanced economies. For states like California, international migration can mean the difference between population growth and decline, especially as some residents relocate due to high living costs.
While the long-term residence and work status of refugees remain uncertain, there are pathways for Afghan nationals to extend their stay, and many refugees, in general, are expected to pursue permanent status through asylum and other programs.
Despite the hardships faced by refugees, their arrival in the U.S. presents an opportunity for a better future. Individuals like Viktoriia Gorbachevska, a business analyst from Ukraine, who quickly found employment after arriving in the U.S., are optimistic about building a career and life in the country.
The Biden administration has taken steps to address the needs of Afghan refugees, and it is expected that many refugees will seek ways to contribute and secure permanent residency in the U.S.
The story of Zakira, a nurse who fled Kabul with her sister, highlights the challenges faced by refugees and their resilience in finding employment and rebuilding their lives in the U.S. Despite leaving their family behind, they have found jobs in their respective fields and are hopeful about their future prospects.
As the U.S. and other advanced economies navigate demographic shifts, immigrants, including refugees, will continue to play a crucial role in supporting labor force growth and filling vital positions across various industries.
